KLLF Supports Effort to Preserve Birthright Citizenship

Opposing the Trump Administration’s attempt to end birthright citizenship, KLLF filed a friend-of-the-court brief in a federal appeals court on behalf of three leading immigration law scholars. The brief aims to contribute to the national effort to support birthright citizenship in advance of this week’s Supreme Court argument related to the issue.

The brief argues that, in addition to the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a federal law passed by Congress also independently grants citizenship at birth to all U.S.-born children. Based on extensive scholarly research, the brief examines the legislative and administrative sources that Congress relied on when it passed the law in 1940 and passed it again in 1952. Taken together, these sources show that Congress intended to grant citizenship to the U.S.-born children of visitors and unauthorized residents.

KLLF partner Doug Lieb authored the brief.