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A third federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's executive action ending birthright citizenship.
Thus time it was U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante in New Hampshire. The George W. Bush appointee said at the end of a hearing on Monday that he would grant the request for a preliminary injunction sought by New Hampshire Indonesian Community Support, LULAC and Make the Road New York. The three groups filed the first federal lawsuit challenging Mr. Trump's executive order, which he signed on his first day in office.
This follows rulings made by federal judges in Maryland and Washington State.
During the hearing, Drew Ensign, a Justice Department lawyer, said Trump was well within his authority to eliminate birthright citizenship. The president's order states that no federal agency shall issue or accept government documents recognizing children covered by the directive who are born on or after Feb. 19.