On January 23, 2025, U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour in Seattle issued a temporary restraining order against President Trump’s executive order aimed at restricting birthright citizenship. The order, signed on January 20, sought to deny U.S. citizenship to children born to undocumented immigrants or those on temporary visas under specific conditions. It was set to apply to individuals born after February 19, 2025.
The judge declared the order “blatantly unconstitutional,” citing the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil. Lawsuits from 24 states and advocacy groups argued the order violated constitutional protections.
The ruling halts enforcement of the order for 14 days, during which the Department of Justice plans to appeal. If implemented, the policy could affect roughly 150,000 children born annually to undocumented immigrants.