Today, immigrants’ rights advocates filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration regarding its executive order. The executive order revokes U.S. citizenship from certain babies born in the United States. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) has a long history of defending civil rights and challenging discriminatory policies, including President Trump’s recent executive order that attempts to reinterpret the 14th Amendment, a cornerstone of American citizenship. Here’s what you need to know and what it means for American society.
What is Birthright Citizenship?
At its core, this is about who automatically becomes a U.S. citizen by virtue of being born on U.S. soil. This principle, known as jus soli (right of the soil), is enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1868. It states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States…”
This has historically meant that anyone born in the U.S., regardless of their parents’ immigration status, is a citizen. This includes children born to tourists, visa holders, and undocumented immigrants. The U.S. is one of about 30 countries, mostly in the Americas, that practice birthright citizenship.
Need to Know:
- The 14th Amendment: Ratified in 1868 during Reconstruction, this amendment granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S., including formerly enslaved people. This “birthright citizenship” clause is a key focus of the LDF’s legal challenges.
- Executive Orders: These are directives issued by the President that manage operations of the federal government. While they have legal weight, their constitutionality can be challenged in court, as the LDF has done in this case.
- LDF’s Stance: The LDF argues that executive orders attempting to unilaterally rewrite the 14th Amendment are unconstitutional. They see such actions as attacks on a fundamental principle of American citizenship.
Takeaways:
- Defense of Civil Rights: The LDF’s legal actions highlight the ongoing struggle to protect civil rights, particularly those related to citizenship and equality.
- Importance of the Judiciary: This situation underscores the vital role of the judicial system in checking the power of the executive branch and upholding the Constitution.
- Reconstruction Era Legacy: The 14th Amendment is a direct result of the Reconstruction era, a period of significant social and political change following the Civil War. Challenges to this amendment represent a threat to this legacy.
Implications for American Culture and Society:
- National Identity: The concept of birthright citizenship is deeply ingrained in American identity. Attempts to alter it raise fundamental questions about who is considered an American and what it means to be a citizen.
- Social Inequality: Changes to the 14th Amendment could disproportionately affect certain groups, potentially exacerbating existing social inequalities.
- Political Polarization: Debates surrounding citizenship and immigration are often highly polarized. These legal challenges contribute to ongoing national conversations about these divisive issues.
The LDF’s work is crucial in ensuring that the promises of the 14th Amendment are upheld. This situation serves as a reminder of the fragility of rights and the importance of continuous advocacy and legal defense to protect them. You can find more about this specific case HERE.
Trump’s Executive Order on Birthright Citizenship: A Deep Dive
President Trump’s executive order challenging birthright citizenship has ignited a legal and political firestorm. Let’s breaks down the issue, the order itself, the reactions, and what you need to know.
What Does Trump’s Order Say?
Trump’s executive order directly challenges this interpretation of the 14th Amendment. It argues that children born to noncitizens are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the U.S., and therefore, not automatically citizens.
Specifically, the order attempts to exclude from automatic citizenship:
- Children whose mothers were not legally in the U.S. and whose fathers were not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
- Children whose mothers were in the country legally but on a temporary basis and whose fathers were not citizens or legal permanent residents.
The order also directs federal agencies to deny citizenship documents to individuals in these categories.
The Legal Battle and the 14th Amendment
The order has been met with immediate legal challenges. Attorneys general from 22 states, along with immigrant rights groups, have filed lawsuits arguing that the order is unconstitutional. They assert that the 14th Amendment is clear and that the president cannot unilaterally rewrite the Constitution.
The key legal question is the interpretation of “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” While the Supreme Court has affirmed birthright citizenship for children born to legal immigrants (Wong Kim Ark case, 1898), the order disputes its application to children born to undocumented immigrants.
Reactions and Fallout
Reactions to the order have been sharply divided:
- Supporters: See it as a necessary step to curb illegal immigration and tighten citizenship standards.
- Opponents: View it as a blatant attack on the Constitution and a dangerous expansion of executive power.
The order has also raised concerns about its potential impact on families and individuals. It is unclear whether it would apply retroactively, and there are concerns about potential discrimination and hardship for those whose citizenship is now in question.
Takeaways and Need to Know:
- Core Issue: The order directly challenges the long-held understanding of birthright citizenship as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.
- Legal Uncertainty: The legal challenges will likely lead to a lengthy court battle, possibly reaching the Supreme Court.
- Potential Impact: The order could have significant consequences for families and individuals, particularly those with mixed immigration statuses.
- Political Divide: The issue has further polarized the political landscape, with strong reactions on both sides.
This is a developing story. Stay informed about the legal proceedings and their outcomes, as they will have profound implications for immigration and citizenship in the United States.
Dred Scott v. Sandford, which denied U.S. citizenship to all African Americans, regardless of their birthplace (U.S. or elsewhere) or status (enslaved or free).
The 14th Amendment, while a cornerstone of American civil rights, has faced numerous challenges and interpretations throughout history. Here are some key examples:
- Early Interpretations and Jim Crow: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Supreme Court issued rulings that significantly weakened the 14th Amendment’s protections, particularly its Equal Protection Clause. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) famously upheld “separate but equal” segregation, effectively legalizing Jim Crow laws in the South. This era saw systematic discrimination against African Americans in areas like voting, education, and public accommodations.
- Challenges to Birthright Citizenship: While the first clause of the 14th Amendment defines citizenship by birth in the U.S., its application to children of undocumented immigrants has been debated. Though the Supreme Court hasn’t directly ruled on this specific issue, legal precedent and scholarly consensus largely affirm birthright citizenship in these cases as well. However, this aspect of the 14th Amendment continues to be a target of political debate and some legal challenges, though none have been successful.
- Gender Equality: Initially, the 14th Amendment was not consistently applied to protect gender equality. While it speaks of “persons,” courts often interpreted it in ways that upheld discriminatory laws against women. The women’s suffrage movement and later legal challenges pushed for a broader interpretation, leading to significant advances in gender equality under the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.
- Voting Rights: Disenfranchisement tactics like poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses, common in the Jim Crow South, directly violated the 14th Amendment’s guarantees of equal protection. The Civil Rights Movement and subsequent legislation, like the Voting Rights Act of 1965, were crucial in enforcing the 14th Amendment’s promise of equal access to the ballot box.
- Affirmative Action: Policies designed to address past and present discrimination against minority groups have been challenged under the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. The Supreme Court has generally upheld affirmative action programs that consider race as one factor among many in admissions or hiring decisions, but has struck down quota systems. These cases highlight the complex interplay between addressing historical injustice and ensuring equal treatment for all.
- LGBTQ+ Rights: In recent decades, the 14th Amendment’s Due Process and Equal Protection clauses have played a major role in advancing LGBTQ+ rights. Landmark Supreme Court cases such as Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, were based on interpretations of the 14th Amendment.
These are just some of the significant challenges and evolving interpretations that the 14th Amendment has faced. Its meaning and application continue to be debated and redefined through legal scholarship, social movements, and court decisions.
The “long hot, summer” of 1965 was a year of violent uprisings across the United States due to strained race relations at the height of the civil rights movement. America was on fire. Black people were tired and took their frustrations to the streets during and following the arrest of a Black motorist in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles.
The Watts riot was not an isolated incident. 1964 and 1965 recorded similar events breaking out across the country prior to the Watts explosion. The History channel reports, “In 1964, there was a three-day riot in Rochester, NY, leaving four dead; in the New York City neighborhoods of Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant, a six-day riot involving as many as 4,000 people following the shooting of a young Black man; in Philadelphia, a three-day riot following the arrest of a Black couple who had gotten into a scuffle with police; and a three-day riot in Chicago when a Black woman attempting to shoplift alcohol was attacked by the store owner and crowds later gathered to protest.” 
The Watts riot was among the worst uprisings in the U.S. due to already strained race relations. 35 people lost their lives during the 6-day rebellion, and more than 1,000 people were injured. Property damage topped $200 million. Although tempting, we cannot forget that the violence ignited by the brutal murder of George Floyd has been par for the course of Black lives in America. History is cyclical. As long as those in power refuse to recognize and adequately address the contributions of Black people in the making of America, their continued brutalization and mistreatment despite their rightful credit for the glory, status and wealth of our nation, or budge to the will of the people and humanity, these violent events will continue. Author, iconic orator and civil rights activist James Baldwin once asked, “How much time does America need for its progress?” Today, the question remains unanswered. My question is: How much more time does America need to progress towards a new world order that honors humanity, paves the way for equality, and finally usher in true liberty for all her people?
