A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship. U.S. District Judge John Kaufner ruled Thursday that the order, set to take effect February 19, directly violates the 14th amendment, guaranteeing citizenship to anyone born in the U.S. regardless of their parents' immigration status.

The decision came in a lawsuit brought by four states - Washington, Arizona, Illinois, and Oregon - who argued the executive order undermines over a century of legal precedent. If implemented, the order could strip citizenship from hundreds of thousands of children born in the U.S. each year.

The fight is part of a larger legal battle with 22 states and civil rights groups challenging Trump's order. The debate draws on longstanding precedent, including a 1989 Supreme Court case affirming that children born on U.S. soil, regardless of their parents' status, are citizens.

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