Bill · S.J.Res. 189· Senate(119-SJRES-189)
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to protect United States citizenship.
- Introduced
- 4/29/2026
- Last activity
- 4/29/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Rand Paul
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Constitution to change how United States citizenship is determined. It seeks to redefine what it means to be "subject to the jurisdiction of the United States" under the 14th Amendment. Under this proposal, a person born in the United States would only be considered subject to its jurisdiction if they meet specific parental requirements. This includes having at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident, or an alien with lawful status performing active military service. The amendment also grants Congress the power to pass legislation to implement these changes.
Yes
Does this give the federal government more power?+5
The bill grants Congress the specific power to carry out the implementation of these new citizenship standards through legislation.
The opposite· 3 of 4
Would immigrants be better off under this?-8
The amendment restricts the ability of children of undocumented immigrants to obtain citizenship through birth in the U.S.
Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens?-8
The bill restricts citizenship eligibility for children of undocumented immigrants by requiring a parent to have lawful status.
Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this?-7
The bill creates a barrier to citizenship for those born to parents without lawful status, a demographic frequently including Hispanic communities.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Clarification of Citizenship Requirements: By establishing specific criteria in Section 2, the bill provides a defined list of parental statuses that qualify a person born in the U.S. to be considered subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
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Empowerment of Congress: Under Section 3, Congress is given the power to carry out the article through appropriate legislation, allowing for future legislative oversight of these standards.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Restriction of Citizenship for Certain Individuals: According to Section 2, individuals born in the United States may no longer be considered subject to the jurisdiction of the United States unless they have a parent who is a citizen, a lawful permanent resident, or an alien in active military service.
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Redefinition of Jurisdictional Standards: Section 1 changes the application of the 14th Amendment by stating that a person is only considered subject to the jurisdiction of the United States in accordance with the specific requirements listed in the new Section 2.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Immigrants-8Good For Hispanic Americans-7Good For Low Income Households-5
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Pathway To Citizenship-8
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power+5
- 7/15/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/29/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Bernie MorenoRepublican · Ohio