Isabella Mashour

A legal history of birthright citizenship

Started Jan. 31, 2025

Abstract or project description

How has the concept of birthright citizenship evolved in US history, and what are key arguments in contemporary debates surrounding its future? This research paper discusses the development of birthright citizenship with a focus on the 14th amendment and its legal interpretations over time. The paper will analyze supreme court cases such as United States v. Wong Kim ark and Trump's recent executive order on birthright citizenship. Additionally, this research paper will explore the different interpretations of birthright citizenship over time and how it affects the American people. Drawing on a range of primary sources--many of which are digitized and available on the Library of Congress website. This project will composed a paper that attempts to unpack the meaning of the clause in the 14th Amendment, "subject to the jurisdiction thereof," in order to better historicise the current Executive Order by Donald Trump which seeks to upend birthright citizenship.