When considering ending birthright citizenship, one factor that tends to be overlooked is how it will impact indigenous communities.
Revathi Vongsiprasom, an immigration lawyer in Sioux City, told Siouxland Public Media on Thursday the 14th amendment was created because Black people were not recognized as citizens, which has also been seen with Native American populations.
Vongsiprasom noted Indigenous people didn’t gain citizenship until 1924; even then they did not have the right to vote until the 1960s.
She stated that Indigenous citizenship is tied to both tribal sovereignty and the constitution, and ending birthright citizenship would cause indigenous communities to face legal uncertainty and chaos.
“For example, with all of this increased I.C.E enforcement has led to multiple Native American individuals across the country being unlawfully detained,” Vongsiprasom added.
She mentioned that history has shown that if citizenship is not automatic, people who grow up American in every aspect are not recognized that way under law.
“If we are going to end birthright citizenship, we really need to understand how that’s going to impact every facet and every thread of the American fabric,” said Vongsiprasom.
