In a country built on ideals rather than ancestry, birthright citizenship has served as a foundational promise—a silent but powerful declaration that all who arrive on American soil through birth are fully part of its story. Yet this cornerstone of equality, guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment, faces new threats from executive maneuvers and political rhetoric aimed at redefining who truly belongs. The implications of dismantling this principle would extend far beyond policy—it would strike at the very soul of American democracy. 🧬 The DNA of American Citizenship: More Than a Legal Status Citizenship in the United States isn’t just about holding a passport or voting in elections; it's about being recognized as fully human under the law, entitled to dignity, rights, and protections. The concept of jus soli —the right of the soil—was enshrined in the Fourteenth Amendment following the Civil War. It was a radical assertion at the time: that no matter your ancestry, the moment yo...