Part 2/6:
Birthright citizenship allows any individual born on U.S. soil to automatically receive American citizenship, irrespective of their parents' immigration status. This provision was codified through the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, as a means to ensure that former slaves and their descendants were recognized as full citizens in the wake of the Civil War.
The current legal landscape is stark: According to the Pew Research Center, there are approximately 1.3 million American-born adults living with parents who are non-citizens. This figure highlights the complexities surrounding birthright citizenship in contemporary America.