Birthright Citizenship May Have Survived, But Equal Rights Still Uneven

Immigrant families in Illinois may be relieved after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, but advocates say U.S.-born children of parents without legal status still face barriers to equal rights.

Zain Lakhani, director of migrant rights and justice at the Women’s Refugee Commission, said citizenship is supposed to be universal, but is not applied that way in America. She pointed to regulations limiting access to public housing and other benefits for mixed-status families.

Lakhani also cited the federal Child Tax Credit, after Republicans last year pushed through changes blocking eligibility for some mixed-status households.

“So, this is a way in which you do not get those vital life-sustaining benefits to which you are entitled to as a U.S. citizen because one of your parents is an immigrant,” Lakhani said.