A US judge has temporarily blocked an Executive Order by the United States President Donald Trump to stop birthright citizenship, which is enshrined in the Constitution.
The order, which was slated to take effect on 19 January, was described as “blatantly unconstitutional” by a federal court judge in Seattle.
Tribune Online reports that the US President, upon his inauguration on Monday, signed a series of executive orders, including an end to birthright citizenship for children of immigrants in the United States.
Justice Department lawyer Brett Shumate began his arguments on the validity of the order, Judge John Coughenour cut in, asking him point blank: “Is this order constitutional?”
The judge again interrupted as Shumate began to respond, saying: “This is a blatantly unconstitutional order.”
“We look back in history and say ‘where were the judges, where were the lawyers?’”, the judge continued. “Frankly I have difficulty finding that a member of the bar can state confidently that this is a constitutional order,” BBC reports.
Meanwhile, BBC reports that Trump has ordered 1,500 troops to the border to put up barriers as part of his immigration crackdown, and up to 10,000 troops could be deployed — a move to enforce his orders on immigration.
Recall that Tribune Online reports that no fewer than 18 states have filed lawsuits against President Trump, challenging the constitutionality of the order to end birthright citizenship.
The lawsuit, initiated by 18 Democratic attorneys general, accuses Trump of attempting to dismantle a “well-established and longstanding Constitutional principle” through executive fiat.
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