Legal Definitions - Naturalization Clause

The Naturalization Clause is a part of the United States Constitution that states that anyone who is born or naturalized in the United States is a citizen of the country and the state they reside in. This means that if you are born in the United States or go through the process of becoming a citizen, you are considered a citizen of the country and the state you live in.

Jus soli is a Latin term that means "right of the soil." It is a rule that determines a child's citizenship based on the place of their birth. In the United States, this rule is affirmed by the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. This means that if you are born in the United States, you are automatically a citizen of the country and the state you were born in.

For example, if a baby is born in New York City, they are automatically a citizen of the United States and the state of New York. This is because they were born on U.S. soil, which gives them the right to citizenship under the Naturalization Clause and jus soli.

Another example would be if someone goes through the process of becoming a citizen of the United States. They would need to meet certain requirements, such as passing a citizenship test and taking an oath of allegiance to the country. Once they complete these requirements, they would be considered a citizen of the United States and the state they reside in.

These examples illustrate how the Naturalization Clause and jus soli work together to determine citizenship in the United States.