Republican state legislatures are gearing up to cancel birthright citizenship for children born to illegal immigrants. Another crackdown on illegal immigrants, supporters say that is necessary in order to secure the border with Mexico. “The federal government has absolutely, totally and completely fallen down on its responsibility of protecting our nation’s borders,” Randy Terrill, an Oklahoma Republican, told Reuters.
While it would seem very clear that the 14th Amendment gives birthright citizenship to all children born on American soil, conservative American legislators say that they are not trying to change the Constitution. They are merely trying to pass legislation that would interpret the 14th Amendment in a way that would exclude the children born to illegal immigrants.
Only time will tell whether such efforts to block birthright citizenship will be successful.
All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Related Resources:
- Fourteenth Amendment (FindLaw’s LawBrain)
- Birthright Citizenship in AZ and the 14th Amendment (FindLaw’s Law & Daily Life Blog)
- Latino Community Reacts To Efforts Against Birthright Citizenship (CNN)
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