By Rosalia Jimenez
I am an American citizen.
I was born on American soil to an American mother and a Mexican father. I have lived in the United States for all 19 years of my life.
I am an American citizen.
For my entire life, I never thought of the possibility that this glaring fact could be challenged. I always thought “I was born here, that’s that. I’m a citizen.” I never thought that one man could even think of changing that fact.
The U.S. Constitution states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” That makes me, and millions of others, a citizen, right? How can one man change that? Can one man change these rights? These rights were written over 200 years ago. Can he really change them? If he can, what does that mean for my family?
When President Donald Trump was inaugurated for a second time, my entire world shifted. Within the first eight days of his term, he signed executive order after executive order, each one potentially affecting the country. I never really paid attention to the presidency and politics. I always kept my head down and went with what was happening. Until now, at least. Now, I constantly check the news for new information about the things Trump is doing. Not because I’m interested. I check because I need to know and…
I’m afraid.
I’m afraid of what will happen if this one man is able to get rid of the 14th Amendment. I’m afraid for the people around me who are affected by this. Since the document was signed, since ICE was spotted in Chicago and Detroit, and everything felt real, a series of “what-ifs” have been running through my head on the daily.
What if my father is stripped of his citizenship simply because he was not born here?
What if President Trump manages to nullify birthright citizenship and my brothers and I are no longer citizens?
What if that happens and I get deported? Can that happen?
If my birthright citizenship, the citizenship I got from my mother being a citizen, got taken from me, what would happen then?
So many people shout from the rooftops to “send them back.” So many people want the country to be rid of everyone not considered “American.” What does it mean to be an American? To be an American citizen? If the President is able to nullify the 14th Amendment, there is a chance that I will no longer be considered an American citizen. However, I have lived my entire life here. I went to school here, graduated high school here and started college here. I work here. Doesn’t that make me an American citizen?
So many people say we need to rid the country of immigrants and their families, “send them back” they say. If my birthright citizenship was taken, where would I be sent “back” to? I was born in this country. I have never even been to Mexico. So would I be sent “back” or sent “away?”
People keep telling me “he won’t be able to nullify the amendment,” “everything will be okay”, “nothing will happen to you.” That may be true. Perhaps this one man will not be able to stop birthright citizenship. Perhaps he won’t be able to take away my citizenship. Legally, I will probably be fine. Emotionally, I haven’t been fine since I heard of his plan.
This entire ordeal is not good. It is not good for anyone, legally or emotionally. Even if I am legally fine, I will not be able to spend another night without thinking about this. I will not be able to keep living my life thinking “They can’t take that away from me.” He tried. He still is trying. I won’t be able to live my life without knowing that it didn’t matter to Trump that I was born here or have an American mother. That I have never left the country, never seen the place my father is from. That I grew up in this country. To him, it didn’t matter that I worked in this country and graduated in this country. Now and forever, it won’t be “I am an American citizen.”
It will be “Am I an American citizen to those it actually matters to?”
