A Proposed 28th Amendment
It's Time to Modernize Birthright Citizenship
We looked at 30 countries. Only 3 give automatic citizenship just for being born there. The U.S. is one of them. There's a better way.
Not Left. Not Right. Forward.
Right now, the debate is stuck. One side says "change nothing." The other side tries executive orders that get blocked in court. This is a third option, based on how most of the world already works.
Qualified at Birth
If you're born in the U.S. and at least one parent is a citizen or green card holder, you're a citizen at birth. This is how it works in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
10-Year Path to Citizenship
If neither parent qualifies, the child gets protected status. After living in the U.S. for 10 years, they become a full citizen automatically. No child who grows up here gets left behind.
No Child Left Stateless
If a child is born on U.S. soil and would have no citizenship anywhere in the world, the U.S. steps in. No child born here will ever be a person without a country.
3 of 30
Countries give automatic birthright citizenship
16 of 30
Countries only give citizenship through parents, including every Nordic country
Jan 1, 2032
Start date. No one born before this is affected.
Built for Both Sides
This is not a compromise where everyone loses. Each side gets something they have never been able to get before.
If You Lean Right
- ✓ Sovereignty. America decides who is American, not a lucky plane ticket. This matches Japan, Switzerland, and the UK.
- ✓ Ends birth tourism. Closes the loophole where a short visit can lead to a lifetime of benefits.
- ✓ Based on commitment. Children are born into families who are already part of the American system.
If You Lean Left
- ✓ Puts the Dream Act in the Constitution. The 10-year path means no child raised in American schools is ever deported. Ever.
- ✓ No more executive order chaos. A constitutional amendment cannot be undone by the next president.
- ✓ No child left without a country. The U.S. guarantees in writing that no child born here will be stateless.
What This Does NOT Do
Join the Conversation
This proposal is open source. Read it, challenge it, make it better. The best ideas win, not the loudest voices.