US Judge Blocks Trump Birthright Citizenship Order

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

In the first rebuff to Trump’s attack on birthright citizenship, Senior U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour issued an order today blocking the new executive order from taking effect for 14 days. There will be a further briefing on a preliminary injunction to permanently block the executive order while the case proceeds. 

The judge gave Trump both barrels:

"I’ve been on the bench for over four decades. I can’t remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order."

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The full text of the Trump order, released January 20 and entitled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship”, can be found here:

www.whitehouse.gov/...

The order has been panned almost universally by respected legal scholars, and has brought immediate lawsuits from 18 states, among others. 

Among the more bizarre possible outcomes, as pointed out in an article in Salon, is that the executive order may be interpreted to nullify the US citizenship of Native Americans.  See www.salon.com/...

This isn’t the last legal word, of course.  But a nice start.  And from a Reagan appointee no less!  In times of crisis, the rule of law can be the first line of defense against tyranny.