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Another federal judge blocked President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship.
U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman, of Greenbelt, Maryland, issued a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the executive order to redefine the 14th Amendment to exclude the children of undocumented immigrants as citizens even if they're born in the United States on Wednesday (February 5), ABC News reports. Boardman's decision came after hearing arguments from five pregnant undocumented women.
"The denial of the precious right to citizenship will cause irreparable harm," Judge Boardman said. "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 U.S. citizenship and their parents will face instability."
"A nationwide injunction is appropriate and necessary because it concerns citizenship," she added.
Boardman's decision followed Seattle-based federal Judge John Coughenour's blocking of Trump's day-one executive order, which he called "blatantly unconstitutional" via Reuters. Coughenor issued a 14-day pause on the order on January 23 and is set to consider whether to issue his own preliminary injunction on Thursday (February 6), which would remain in effect pending the resolution of the litigation.
