Compared to when the 14th amendment was first ratified in 1868 to now in 2016, it is interpreted in various ways and differs from from one person to another, but it has an overall same significance. In 1868 the 14th Amendment was passed to guarantee any person born or naturalized in the United States a citizen. It forbids any state to “abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens”. It established a constitutional guarantee of basic citizenship and protection of the law for ALL Americans, including African Americans. Before the 14th Amendment, African Americans could not become citizens meaning they had no rights and could not be free. This amendment granted African American slaves citizenship and protected their rights. Now in 2016 it is defining the importance of citizenship and whether or not children of illegal immigrant who are born in the United States should be citizens. For me it is hard to believe that there is people who try to find loopholes in things that have such a significance to our country and try to change the meaning of it. When I hear people say negative comments or say something that I disagree with I try to understand their position and mindset but most of the time I just don’t understand how they can insult so many people and think so negatively of immigrants. I think that if the 14th Amendment were to be be changed it will have a drastic impact on everyone and everything. If it were to be adjusted to specify whether or not children of illegal immigrants should become citizens, then I think it would go against all the motives that founding fathers believed in when they signed the constitution. It would change the entire image of the U.S. as a country who was built off of immigrants in the first colonies and are accepting of anyone who is in favor of a new opportunity but then doesn’t want to allow immigrants into our country. I think we as the nation who is based off of freedom and all these factors we should be accepting of immigrants or handle the issue in a better way than going against the constitution because I think that will be the start of chaos and more problems among our nation.
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AUTHORMelisa G. Castillo ARCHIVES
February 2016
CATEGORIES |