Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump’s Executive Order Ending Birthright Citizenship

TIME

A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order redefining birthright citizenship, calling it “blatantly unconstitutional” during the first hearing in a multi-state effort challenging the order.

Transcript

00:00We came to the courthouse today to defend the United States Constitution,

00:05to defend democracy in America, and to defend what it means to be an American citizen.

00:12We are thrilled that the court saw the seriousness and the urgency of the complaints

00:19and requests for a temporary restraining order brought by the state of Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Illinois,

00:25and are thrilled that the judge issued a temporary restraining order

00:29directing the United States government to take no further action

00:33in enforcing and implementing the unconstitutional and un-American executive order

00:38attempting to eliminate birthright citizenship in America.

00:41This is step one, but to hear the judge from the bench say that in his 40 years as a judge

00:47he has never seen something so blatantly unconstitutional

00:51sets the tone for the seriousness of this effort.

00:54This is fairly obvious. This is fairly simple.

00:58This has been expressly determined by the United States Supreme Court,

01:02and Congress and multiple executives have looked at it and agreed.

01:05And so I was not surprised to see Judge Kuhnauer sort of dismiss the absurdity of the order

01:12and the absurdity of the president's action.

01:14This order effectively forces states to prepare for the effective day of that order,

01:18has an impact now, and more importantly created a cloud of uncertainty

01:23for children being born here and in Seattle, all across Washington, and all across the country.

01:29And so the urgency by which we moved was effective and appropriate and supported by the court.

01:34We'll take one step at a time, but I see no reason why in a court of appeals

01:39or even the United States Supreme Court would reach a different decision that was reached today.

Category

Transcript

Recommended