A federal judge has intervened to halt President Donald Trump’s directive aimed at ending birthright citizenship throughout the United States.
Donald Trump has resumed his role in the Oval Office just a few weeks back, quickly implementing various policies and putting them into action.
The 47th President of the United States has enacted several executive orders, including lifting the ban on TikTok, altering immigration laws, and asserting that there are ‘only two genders’.
Recently, he’s also hinted at a potential trade war and announced the establishment of the first US wealth fund.
Among Trump’s executive orders was one intended to terminate birthright citizenship, but a federal judge in Maryland has issued a nationwide preliminary injunction to block it.
On Wednesday, District Judge Deborah Boardman listened to arguments from five women challenging Trump’s executive order, ultimately ruling in their favor.
“The denial of the precious right to citizenship will cause irreparable harm,” stated Judge Boardman while delivering her order.
“It has been said the right to U.S. citizenship is a right no less precious than life or liberty. If the court does not enjoin enforcement of the executive order, children subject to the order will be denied the rights and benefits of US citizenship and their parents will face instability.”
The judge continued: “A nationwide injunction is appropriate and necessary because it concerns citizenship.”
In her decision given on Wednesday, the judge determined that Trump’s executive order “conflicts with the plain language of the 14th Amendment.”
“The U.S. Supreme court has resoundingly rejected the president’s interpretation of the citizenship clause,” Judge Boardman added.
“In fact, no court has endorsed the president’s interpretation, and this court will not be the first.”
Joseph Mead, the attorney for the plaintiffs, commented: “The executive order’s departure from settled law is so abrupt … it is such a departure from what we’ve been doing for over a century. Being a citizen is the foundation for so many rights.”
On the other hand, the Department of Justice pushed for the executive order to be enacted into law.
“Text, history, and precedent support what common sense compels: the Constitution does not harbor a windfall clause granting American citizenship to, inter alia: the children of those who have circumvented (or outright defied) federal immigration laws,” they argued, according to ABC News.
Prior to this ruling, Trump’s executive order had been previously suspended by US District Judge John Coughenour in Seattle.