Up First from NPR Who gets to be an American?
71 snips
Mar 9, 2025 
Rond Abdel-Fattah and Ramteen Arablui, co-hosts of NPR's Throughline podcast, explore the contentious issue of birthright citizenship. They discuss the Trump administration's executive order aimed at challenging this right and dive into the historical significance of the Wong Kim Ark case, which solidified birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment. The conversation highlights the ongoing struggles for identity and belonging faced by immigrant communities, drawing parallels between past legal battles and contemporary debates on citizenship.
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Wong Kim Ark's Case
- Wong Kim Ark, born in 1873 to Chinese parents in San Francisco, became a test case for birthright citizenship.
- Amidst anti-Chinese sentiment and the Chinese Exclusion Act, his case challenged the 14th Amendment.
Jurisdiction Clause
- The 14th Amendment's jurisdiction clause became central to Wong Kim Ark's case.
- The court debated whether birthright citizenship applied to children born to non-citizens.
Chinese Six Companies' Support
- The Chinese Six Companies, a benevolent association, supported Wong Kim Ark's legal battle.
- They hired lawyer Thomas Reardon, who filed a habeas corpus petition, leading to a district court victory.
