American citizenship Quote by Garrett Epps
““Though Article II requires “natural born” citizenship, the Constitution does not explain what the phrase means. There was no constitutional definition of American citizenship until 1868, when the Fourteenth Amendment was adopted. Nor was there any existing body of American immigration law to explain it.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Legal commentary on constitutional interpretation, 2020
The Constitution mentions “natural born” citizens but never defines the term; the legal definition emerged only after the 14th Amendment.
In simple terms: Constitution lacks a clear definition of “natural born” citizen.
Key Takeaway
Seek precise legal definitions before assuming rights.
Themes
law
constitution
citizenship
history
interpretation
Mood
analytical
critical
informative
Type
legal
historical
When to use this quote
- political debates
- law school
- citizenship applications
- historical research
Key Concepts
legal theory
constitutional development
citizen rights
Questions to Reflect On
- How does ambiguity affect political eligibility?
- What are the risks of retroactive definitions?
A Different Perspective
The phrase can be politically weaponized without clear guidance.
![“All from other lands, who by the terms of [congressional] laws and a compliance with their provisions become naturalized, are adopted citizens of the United States; all other persons born within the Republic, of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty, are natural born citizens. Gentleman…” quote by John Bingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fcb/john-bingham-19392_adopted_all-from-other-lands-who-by-the-terms-of_1269655.jpg)
![“[American Citizenship] captures the enduring idea that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d67/barack-obama-17_accepting_american-citizenship-captures-the-enduri_502282.jpg)
![“You wouldn't replace your carpet at home if you still had a hole in the roof...We're talking about any time you start waving a carrot such as American citizenship without securing the borders, that number [of undocumented immigrants] that we have today I believe will double or triple.” quote by Lou Barletta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2cc/lou-barletta-35140_american-citizenship_you-wouldn-t-replace-your-carpet-at-home_1427368.jpg)
