USCIS 128:97. What amendment says all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are U.S. citizens?

OpenAI. (2026).  What amendment says all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are U.S. citizens?   [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

The 14th Amendment was approved by Congress on June 13, 1866, and ratified by the states on July 9, 1868. 

The 14th Amendment was created after the Civil War to protect the rights of people who had been enslaved. This amendment extended the freedoms and rights in the Bill of Rights to formerly enslaved people and helped make sure they were treated as full citizens under the law.

The 14th Amendment has five sections.  The first section includes four clauses that rights:

First, it explains citizenship.

• If a baby is born in the United States, the baby is a U.S. citizen.  This is called birthright citizenship.
• A person can naturalize by fulfilling eligibility requirements.  After meeting the requirements and taking the Oath of Allegiance, the person becomes a U.S. citizen.
• As citizens, a baby born in the U.S. and a naturalized person, are citizens of the United States and citizens of the State where they live.  They have rights and responsibilities in their State and the United States.

Second, the 14th Amendment includes the Privileges or Immunities Clause. This means states cannot take away basic rights that belong to U.S. citizens.

Third, it also has the Due Process Clause. This means the government must follow fair rules and laws before it can take away a person’s life, liberty, or property.

Last, there is the Equal Protection Clause. This means the law must treat people fairly and equally.

In simple terms, the 14th Amendment defines citizenship and protects equal rights for all people under the law.

EXTRA:

Although the 14th Amendment gave citizenship to people born in the United States in 1868, many Native Americans did not automatically become U.S. citizens. At that time, many Native Americans were considered members of their own tribal nations and not fully under the authority of the U.S. government.  

Native Americans were granted United States citizenship on June 2, 1924, through the Indian Citizenship Act. This act granted citizenship to all Native Americans born within the U.S. without requiring them to give up their tribal affiliations.

USCIS 128:74.   Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? *