A U.S. judge has issued a temporary block on former President Donald Trump’s controversial executive order aimed at altering birthright citizenship, a right firmly established in the Constitution. The judge described the order, set to take effect on January 19, as “blatantly unconstitutional.” Among the executive orders signed by Trump shortly after assuming office as the 47th President of the United States was a directive instructing government agencies to cease issuing citizenship documentation for children born in the U.S. to parents without legal status. This decision has already sparked legal challenges from immigration advocacy groups, with additional lawsuits anticipated due to the divisive nature of the order.

The executive order, titled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” has faced immediate opposition. During a hearing in Seattle, lawyers representing four states requested an injunction to block the order. According to reports from the BBC, Trump’s legal team struggled to defend the directive. Justice Department lawyer Brett Shumate was met with sharp questioning from Judge John Coughenour, who wasted no time declaring the order unconstitutional. “This is a blatantly unconstitutional order,” the judge stated, interrupting Shumate’s response. He further criticized the order, questioning how any legal professional could argue for its constitutionality.

Following the hearing, attorneys for the four states expressed confidence in the judge’s decision. Nicholas Brown, Washington’s attorney general, described the ruling as straightforward and predicted that it would withstand further legal scrutiny. The temporary block marks the first step in what is likely to be a prolonged legal battle. The Trump administration has yet to announce its next legal strategy, leaving many waiting to see how this contentious issue will unfold.