On 14th Amendment ‘Birthright Citizenship’

   MUCH IN THE NEWS JUST NOW is the subject of “birthright citizenship,” allegedly provided for in the 14th Amendment. As is true of so much law when inconvenient to an unsupported agenda, the language of the law itself is glossed over where it fails to serve.

   In this case, the phrase “or naturalized” is the one conveniently disregarded, as though its presence has no impact on the meaning of the citizenship clause. But that phrase — which translates as, “or granted citizenship’ — is actually the key to the meaning of the clause (or, at least, the key to untangling misrepresentation or misunderstanding of the clause).

   Here is the complete language of the amendment, in relevant part:

   “Section 1. 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.”

   So, let’s insert the translation of “naturalized,” which will make immediately obvious that this amendment clause is not intended to grant citizenship to anyone in any normal sense of the term:

   “All persons born or granted citizenship in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.”

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