A federal court in Seattle indefinitely blocked former President Donald Trump’s executive order, which sought to end birthright citizenship in the United States. The ruling brought much-needed relief to Indian students and professionals in the U.S. on temporary visas, who were waiting for green cards.
U.S. District Judge John Coughenour delivered the ruling, condemning Trump’s order as an attempt to bypass the Constitution. The decision marks the second major legal setback for Trump’s immigration crackdown, following a similar ruling from a Maryland federal judge.
Federal Court Calls Out Trump’s “Policy Games”
At the Seattle federal court hearing, Judge Coughenour held Donald Trump guilty of attempting to dodge the law and said, “It has become ever-more apparent that to our president, the rule of law is but an impediment to his policy goals. The rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or simply ignore, whether that be for political or personal gain.”
The judge added that the U.S. government cannot use constitutional rights as instruments of political manipulation. “If the government wants to change the exceptional American grant of birthright citizenship, it needs to amend the Constitution itself,” said the judge.
National Block on Executive Order
Coughenour’s preliminary injunction expands on a previous short-term block he issued just days after Trump signed the order. A day earlier, U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman in Maryland also granted a nationwide injunction against the same order. Both rulings will remain in effect as legal proceedings continue.
The Justice Department acted quickly, announcing it would appeal the Seattle ruling. Legal experts predict that the case will eventually land in the U.S. Supreme Court after a review by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, considered one of the most left-leaning courts in the country.
How Trump’s Order Affects Indian Immigrants
He signed the executive order to rescind birthright citizenship on January 20 immediately after inauguration for the second time. The order would ensure that children who are born in the United States are denied U.S. citizenship if their parents are not permanent residents.
This order created an uproar in the minds of Indian immigrants, who are under temporary visas including H-1B (work visas), L (intra-company transfers), H-4 (dependent visas), and F (student visas). Children born to these immigrants would face great difficulties in attaining in-state tuition rates, federal financial aid, and scholarships without birthright citizenship.
Many expectant Indian parents in the U.S. rushed to have pre-term deliveries before February 20—the deadline set by Trump’s order—out of fear that their children would lose the right to citizenship.
Green Card Backlog Worries
The order further heightened anxiety for Indian families caught in the green card backlog. Children who would turn 21 years old would be forced to self-deport unless they obtained yet another visa because of being born outside the U.S. to parents waiting for permanent residency. This is causing anguish for tens of thousands of Indian families who have spent years building their lives in America.
Future Implications
Even as the ruling is a reprieve, the appeals by Trump can again flare up the litigation involving birthright citizenship. Advocates for immigration now caution that subsequent policy changes might continue targeting visa holders and their families.
The case continues its journey through the courts, where Indian immigrants, among others who have been impacted by the order, will anxiously watch for the legal contours that might affect their children’s futures in America.