How California immigrants and 19th century racism shaped U.S. views on birthright citizenship

How California immigrants and 19th century racism shaped U.S. views on birthright citizenship

Guest Commentary written by Brian J. Johnson Brian J. Johnson is an attorney living in San Francisco. On Wednesday, April 1, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on whether the Constitution’s 14th Amendment guarantees “birthright citizenship”— specifically whether US-born children of undocumented immigrants must be citizens. Many jurists will look to the “original public meaning” of the text.  California’s largely forgotten 1867 election …