Is Birthright Citizenship Constitutional?

At Harvard, a Johns Hopkins professor made the case for birthright citizenship but left open the question of its Constitutionality. “Birthright has always required careful interpretation and faced outright challenges,” Martha S. Jones said.

As reported by the Harvard Crimson, she noted that “The 14th Amendment largely resolved the citizenship dilemma faced by former slaves. It did less well for U.S.-born children of immigrants who, in the 19th century and today, face questions about where they are situated along our nation’s borders of belonging.” The Johns Hopkins historian is the author of Birthright Citizens: A History of Race and Rights in Antebellum America.

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