Battle Over Birthright: States Challenge Trump's Citizenship Order

A federal judge in Seattle will hear a lawsuit aimed at blocking Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship. The case involves multiple states and immigrant rights groups challenging the order's constitutional validity, citing the 14th Amendment. They argue it could strip citizenship from children born to non-citizens.

A federal judge in Seattle is poised to hear arguments this Thursday in a landmark lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's bid to scrap birthright citizenship for children born to non-citizens. The lawsuit, spearheaded by multiple states, seeks to halt an executive order that detractors say infringes upon constitutional protections.

Presided over by U.S. District Judge John Coughenour, the court session will consider grievances from Arizona, Illinois, Oregon, and Washington. This legal action is the first of five lawsuits being brought forward by 22 states along with numerous immigrant advocacy groups nationwide.

The crux of the lawsuits hinges on the interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship for those born or naturalized in the U.S. If enforced, the order could affect a vast swathe of the population, jeopardizing the citizenship of many children born within the country, claim opponents.

(With inputs from agencies.)