Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to clarify the 14th amendment does not provide for automatic citizenship for the children of aliens.

Key Points

• This proposed constitutional amendment would redefine who qualifies for birthright citizenship by narrowing the meaning of "subject to the jurisdiction of the United States" in the 14th Amendment. A child born in the U.S. would only be a citizen at birth if at least one parent is a citizen, a national, or a lawful permanent resident living in the country.
• This targets the longstanding legal principle that virtually all children born on U.S. soil are automatically citizens, regardless of their parents' immigration status. Children of undocumented immigrants, temporary visa holders, and other non-permanent residents would no longer receive automatic citizenship at birth.
• Amending the Constitution is an extremely difficult process. This resolution requires a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate, followed by ratification from three-fourths (38) of the state legislatures within seven years.
• The amendment gives Congress the power to pass additional laws to enforce the new citizenship rules, which means the details of implementation could be shaped by future legislation.
• Rep. Mace introduced this joint resolution, which has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. As a constitutional amendment, it faces a much higher bar for passage than ordinary legislation.