Trump v. Barbara · ¶214

The congressional debates were clarifying on this score. When Senator Trumbull introduced the Civil Rights Act’s citizenship provision, he stated that the language excluded “persons temporarily resident” in the United States, whom “we would have no right to make citizens.” Cong. Globe, 39th Cong., 1st Sess., at 572. He had considered limiting the Civil Rights Act’s citizenship provision to persons “owing allegiance” to the United States, but he abandoned that terminology because temporary visitors owed a partial allegiance to the United States—and he wanted to make clear that the Act excluded them. Ibid. Likewise, when Representative James Wilson spoke in support of the Act in the House, he explained “that every person born in the United States is a natural-born citizen,” except, “it may be,” “children born on our soil to temporary sojourners.” Id., at 1117.

slip opinion, revised 7/01/26
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