Donald Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship in the US has been blocked by a judge.
Judge John Coughenour has issued a temporary restraining order to clamp down on Donald Trump's ban, which would have seen undocumented migrants in the US unable to register their children as American citizens.
Coughenour claimed the order was "blatantly unconstitutional", and his intervention has seen the move halted for the next 14 days.
"I have been on the bench for over four decades. I can't remember another case whether the question presented was as clear," the judge said.
Judge John Coughenour has issued a temporary restraining order to clamp down on Donald Trump's ban
REUTERS
"We'll look back in history and say: 'Where were the judges, where were the lawyers?'", the judge added.
"Frankly, I have difficulty finding that a member of the bar can state confidently that this is a constitutional order."
He granted a request by Washington's Attorney General Nick Brown as well as three other Democratic-led states for the emergency order. They all argue Trump is violating the US Constitution's 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to all children born on US soil.
Another Washington lawyer, state attorney Lane Polozola, said: "Babies are being born today here, and in the plaintiff states and around the country, with a cloud cast over their citizenship."
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US Justice Department attorney Brett Shumate had urged the judge to hold off
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He added that denying illegal migrants' children citizenship in the US would leave them facing "long-term substantial negative impacts".
The temporary halt comes despite US Justice Department attorney Brett Shumate urging the judge to hold off on issuing a block on the policy until there was more briefing from Trump's team.
"I understand your concerns," Shumate said, but he told the court not to make "a snap judgment on the merits".
Trump had moved to crack down on birthright citizenship to stem the rise of "birth tourism" - where pregnant women travel to the US in the hopes of giving birth and gaining citizenship for their child.
Trump's executive order would have brought the US in line with the UK and most other European countries
REUTERSThe practice is common in the "New World" of the Americas, where the vast majority of countries allow virtually unrestricted birthright citizenship.
In Britain, at least one parent must be a British citizen or be legally "settled" within the country for a newborn to automatically qualify for British citizenship.
Trump's executive order would have brought the US in line with the UK and most other European countries - and still will, if it gets past the judge's temporary ban.
