Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship blocked

Source: Chip Somodevilla / Getty

A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship regardless of parents’ immigration status.

The ruling came in a case brought by several states arguing that the 14th Amendment guarantees birthright citizenship.

U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour declared during a hearing that Trump’s order is “blatantly unconstitutional” and announced his intention to grant a temporary restraining order requested by four Democrat-led states: Washington, Arizona, Illinois, and Oregon.

The order, set to take effect on Feb. 19, could impact hundreds of thousands of people born in the U.S. to noncitizen parents.

The lawsuits argue that the 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship for those born in the U.S., and cite historical Supreme Court cases to support their claims.

The order has sparked personal testimonies from attorneys general and pregnant women who fear their children won’t become U.S. citizens.