About This Lesson
The question of who qualifies for U.S. citizenship at birth has been a topic of debate for years, but it has gained renewed attention recently. Birthright citizenship means that people born in the United States automatically become U.S. citizens. This approach is rooted in the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment. However, some argue that this approach should be reconsidered, especially regarding children born to noncitizen parents.
Recent discussions have challenged long-standing legal precedents and sparked debate over whether birthright citizenship could be limited through presidential action or congressional statute, or if a constitutional amendment would be necessary
Teach about birthright citizenship with a Constitution Daily blog post on birthright citizenship, and facilitate classroom discussion with our recommended engagement questions, student choice activities, and related primary sources.
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Constitution in the Headlines is a new collection of curated resources from the National Constitution Center designed to help educators contextualize constitutional topics in the news.
Find shortened, classroom-friendly versions of America’s Town Hall programs, We the People podcasts, or Constitution Daily blog posts that include nonpartisan analysis from experts and constitutional scholars from across the ideological spectrum.