{"id":30996,"date":"2023-04-26T05:20:56","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T10:20:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-legal\/constitution\/article1\/annotation36.html"},"modified":"2025-06-12T12:59:39","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T17:59:39","slug":"annotation36","status":"publish","type":"constitution","link":"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/article1\/annotation36.html","title":{"rendered":"The U.S. Constitution\u2019s Naturalization Clause"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7  fl-block-columns fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-page-articles   fl-block-column fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\">\n        <h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">The U.S. Constitution\u2019s Naturalization Clause<\/h1>\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/balrina-ahluwalia-esq\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Balrina Ahluwalia, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/laura-temme-esq\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Laura Temme, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last reviewed\n        <time>\n                            June 12, 2025\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <h2>\n            <button tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\"><\/i>\n                Legally Reviewed\n            <\/button>\n        <\/h2>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\" rel=\"noopener\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\" rel=\"noopener\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <h2>\n            <button tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\"><\/i>\n                Fact-Checked\n            <\/button>\n        <\/h2>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\" rel=\"noopener\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n    <div class=\"fl-callout-text article-blockquote\">\n        <p>The Naturalization Clause, outlined in Article I, Section 8, Clause 4 of the United States Constitution, grants Congress the authority to establish uniform rules for naturalization across the nation. This clause centralizes the power of naturalization, ensuring a consistent and fair process for non-citizens to become U.S. citizens. The Naturalization Act of 1790 set the first federal parameters, which have evolved through Supreme Court decisions and additional legislation to include a broader and more inclusive definition of eligibility for citizenship.<\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n<p>Naturalization is the process of non-citizens becoming citizens. Before the U.S. Constitution was adopted in 1787, the <a href=\"https:\/\/supreme.findlaw.com\/documents\/aofc.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Articles of Confederation<\/a> allowed the states to set their own rules for granting citizenship. This led to inconsistencies and confusion.<\/p>\r\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/framer.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Framers <\/a>of the Constitution sought to remedy the problem by centralizing this power. Accordingly, they included the naturalization clause to ensure fairness and uniformity.<\/p>\r\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll review some historical context surrounding the naturalization clause. We\u2019ll also take a look at the <a href=\"https:\/\/supreme.findlaw.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Supreme Court\u2019s<\/a> interpretation of it over time.<\/p>\r\n<h2>What Is the Naturalization Clause?<\/h2>\r\n<p>Article I, Section 8, Clause 4 of the <a href=\"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/\">United States Constitution<\/a> states:<\/p>\r\n<p><i>[The Congress shall have Power . . .] To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization\u2026<\/i><\/p>\r\n<h2>What Does the Naturalization Clause Do?<\/h2>\r\n<p>The naturalization clause gives Congress (the <a href=\"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/article1.html\" title=\"legislative branch\">legislative branch<\/a>) the power to create uniform rules for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/immigration\/citizenship\/the-basics-of-naturalization.html\" rel=\"noopener\">naturalization <\/a>across the United States. It doesn\u2019t set the rules for naturalization. Rather, it authorizes Congress to create and change these rules as needed.<\/p>\r\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/immigrationhistory.org\/item\/1790-nationality-act\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Naturalization Act of 1790<\/a> was the first act of Congress under the naturalization clause. It established the initial rules for granting U.S. citizenship. It limited eligibility to \u201cfree white persons.\u201d They also had to be:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Of good character<\/li>\r\n<li>Living in the U.S. for at least two years<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>In the years that followed, the Supreme Court interpreted the naturalization clause to mean that states had concurrent authority over naturalization as long as their laws didn\u2019t conflict with federal laws.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Chirac vs. Chirac (1817)<\/h2>\r\n<p>In 1817, however, the <a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/us-supreme-court\/15\/259.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Supreme Court firmly established<\/a> that the power of naturalization rests solely with Congress. The <i>Chirac <\/i>case dealt with the power of naturalization and property rights of foreign nationals.<\/p>\r\n<p>Chief Justice John Marshall declared in <i>Chirac <\/i>that naturalization was exclusively a power of Congress. This reinforced the federal government&#8217;s sole authority over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/immigration\/citizenship\/u-s-citizenship-naturalization-resources.html\" rel=\"noopener\">naturalization laws<\/a>. It clarified that states couldn\u2019t independently grant citizenship.<\/p>\r\n<p>The ruling aimed to support a uniform approach to naturalization across the United States. It helped ensure that the process of becoming an American citizen was fair and consistent.<\/p>\r\n<p>But it wasn\u2019t long before problems with the naturalization clause came to light.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Dred Scott vs. Sandford (1857)<\/h2>\r\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/us-supreme-court\/60\/393.html\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Dred Scott v. Sandford<\/i><\/a> decision was a landmark Supreme Court case. It revealed major flaws in the naturalization clause, showing it didn&#8217;t clearly define who could become a citizen, especially regarding race.<\/p>\r\n<p>In <i>Dred Scott<\/i>, <a href=\"https:\/\/supreme.findlaw.com\/supreme-court-insights\/dred-scott-v--sandford--history--decision--and-impact.html\" title=\"the Court ruled that Black Americans, whether enslaved or free, couldn\u2019t be American citizens\" rel=\"noopener\">the Court ruled that Black Americans, whether enslaved or free, couldn\u2019t be American citizens<\/a>. Its decision to deny citizenship to such persons based on race reinforced the notion that enslaved people were considered property. The decision outraged many, heightening tensions between the North and the South.<\/p>\r\n<p>After the Civil War, lawmakers set out to fix the citizenship problem that <i>Dred Scott <\/i>had revealed. Extensive debates in the <a href=\"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/article1\/annotation11.html\">Senate <\/a>ultimately helped lead to the <a href=\"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/amendment14.html\" title=\"Fourteenth Amendment\">Fourteenth Amendment<\/a> in 1868.<\/p>\r\n<h2>What Is the Citizenship Clause?<\/h2>\r\n<p>The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States includes a citizenship clause. The clause addresses <a href=\"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/amendment14\/annotation01.html\">birthright citizenship.<\/a> It clarifies that anyone born in the U.S. is a citizen, no matter their race. It says:<\/p>\r\n<p><i>All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside&#8230;<\/i><\/p>\r\n<p>However, there were varying interpretations about who exactly is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. This sparked debate about whether children of non-citizens were included.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Children of Non-Citizens<\/h2>\r\n<p>For decades, the citizenship status of children born in the U.S. to non-citizen parents was unclear and inconsistent. Many courts followed the English <a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/common-law.html\" rel=\"noopener\">common law <\/a>principle that granted rights of citizenship to most people born within a country&#8217;s territory. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was also generally interpreted to grant citizenship to U.S.-born children of non-citizens.<\/p>\r\n<p>But government officials often discriminated against children of Chinese immigrants and Native Americans when applying these principles. The <a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/us-supreme-court\/83\/36.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Supreme Court also suggested in the 1870s <\/a>that the Fourteenth Amendment might not apply to children of foreigners.<\/p>\r\n<p>Whether children of non-citizens should automatically receive citizenship remained uncertain, particularly if the parents weren&#8217;t <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/immigration\/visas\/immigrants-your-rights-as-a-permanent-resident.html\" title=\"permanent residents\" rel=\"noopener\">permanent residents<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<h2>United States vs. Wong Kim Ark (1898)<\/h2>\r\n<p>The Supreme Court&#8217;s decision in <a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/us-supreme-court\/169\/649.html\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>United States v.<\/i> <i>Wong Kim Ark<\/i><\/a> resolved much of this ambiguity by affirming the principle of birthright citizenship. It clearly established that, subject to a few exceptions, the Fourteenth Amendment granted citizenship to anyone born in the U.S., regardless of their parents&#8217; nationality.<\/p>\r\n<p>This ruling reinforced <a href=\"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/amendment14\/annotation09.html\">equal protection<\/a>, as well as privileges and immunities, for all individuals born in the United States.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Citizenship Revocation<\/h2>\r\n<p>For nearly a century after the addition of the <a href=\"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/amendment14.html\">Fourteenth Amendment<\/a>, the government retained broad power to strip individuals of their citizenship. Whether native-born or naturalized citizens, the government <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/immigration\/citizenship\/can-your-u-s-citizenship-be-revoked-.html\" title=\"revoked people\u2019s citizenship\" rel=\"noopener\">revoked people\u2019s citizenship<\/a> for various reasons. These included:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Voting in a foreign election<\/li>\r\n<li>Serving in a foreign military<\/li>\r\n<li>Working for a foreign government<\/li>\r\n<li>Formally renouncing U.S. citizenship<\/li>\r\n<li>Taking an oath of allegiance to a foreign country<\/li>\r\n<li>Remaining outside the U.S. to avoid military service<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>These provisions were part of various nationality acts and laws of the United States, including the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/immigration\/immigration-laws-and-resources\/basic-immigration-laws.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952<\/a>. The Supreme Court had upheld many of these provisions in earlier cases.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Afroyim vs. Rusk (1967)<\/h2>\r\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/us-supreme-court\/387\/253.html\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Afroyim v. Rusk<\/i> <\/a>decision significantly changed this landscape. It established that United States citizens can\u2019t lose their citizenship status involuntarily. The Supreme Court said <a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/expatriate.html\" rel=\"noopener\">expatriation <\/a>must be voluntary except for cases of fraudulently acquired citizenship. This fundamentally changed the understanding of American citizenship.<\/p>\r\n<p>The <i>Afroyim <\/i>decision ensured due process and equal protection by preventing the government from arbitrarily stripping citizenship. It also safeguarded the privileges and immunities of U.S. citizens by affirming their citizenship status as a right that generally can\u2019t be taken away without consent.<\/p>\r\n<p>Later in 1980, <a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/us-supreme-court\/444\/252.html\" rel=\"noopener\">the Court recognized that Congress may also expatriate citizens<\/a> who\u2019ve <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/immigration\/citizenship\/renunciation-of-u-s-citizenship.html\" title=\"voluntarily given up their citizenship\" rel=\"noopener\">voluntarily given up their citizenship<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Native Citizens vs. Natural-Born Citizens<\/h2>\r\n<p>It\u2019s important to note one critical distinction between native citizens and natural-born citizens. To clarify, a native citizen acquires U.S. citizenship at birth. Either they\u2019re born here or abroad to U.S. citizen parents. A natural-born citizen is the type of native citizen that is born here.<\/p>\r\n<p>The privileges of a native citizen are almost identical to those of natural-born citizens. Some of these common privileges include:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Voting rights<\/li>\r\n<li>Education benefits<\/li>\r\n<li>Legal protections abroad<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>However, only <a href=\"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/article2\/annotation06.html\">natural-born citizens are eligible to become President <\/a>or Vice President of the United States.<\/p>\r\n<h2>The Evolution of Naturalization<\/h2>\r\n<p>The naturalization clause in the United States has evolved significantly since the days when only free white people were eligible for citizenship. After the Fourteenth Amendment overturned <i>Dred Scott<\/i>, the Naturalization Act of 1906 standardized the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/immigration\/citizenship\/u-s-citizenship-naturalization-overview.html\" rel=\"noopener\">naturalization process<\/a> nationwide.<\/p>\r\n<p>Despite our dynamic legal landscape today, people can still become citizens by birthright or naturalization. The legal developments in this area have thus far reflected society\u2019s broader movement toward inclusiveness and accessible citizenship.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-up\" 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