Requests to halt the order while the federal court analyzes the states’ legal challenge were submitted on behalf of Washington, Arizona, Illinois, and Oregon.
The executive order, which Trump signed on Monday, aims to deny citizenship to children born in the United States to parents who are temporarily or illegally in the country. This is the first court hearing on the policy.
A rival challenge has been launched by the District of Columbia, the city of San Francisco, and eighteen other Democratic-led states.
Anyone born in the United States automatically becomes a citizen by virtue of their birthright. Since it is protected by the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment, it is hard to repeal.
