Birthright citizenship, the concept that anyone born on U.S. soil is automatically a citizen, is protected under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. Now that the Adults have left the building, the ignorant and misinformed including Donald Trump are pushing to get rid of the law altogether. As Civics 101 explains, Birthright citizenship guarantees that every child born "within the jurisdiction" of the United States is a U.S. citizen, regardless of their parents' legal status. This law is protected under Section 1 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified in 1868.