Tlaib Introduces Resolution to Defend the Fourteenth Amendment
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), alongside Popular Democracy, introduced the Defend the Fourteenth Amendment Resolution which reaffirms Congress’ recognition of the Fourteenth Amendment as a cornerstone of our multiracial democracy and renews our commitment to actively defend and uphold the rights and protections guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment, ensuring that our democracy works for all of us, not just a powerful few.
“The Fourteenth Amendment is the bedrock of our multiracial democracy—establishing birthright citizenship, due process of law, and equal protection under the law for all people,” said Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib. “Generations of everyday Americans have fought to secure the full promise of freedom and equality embodied in the Fourteenth Amendment, and that struggle continues today under the Trump Administration. As we introduce this resolution, Trump’s corrupt Supreme Court justices are planning to consider the constitutionality of his illegal executive order to end birthright citizenship. The text of the Fourteenth Amendment could not be clearer. Corruption may have caused this illegitimate court to forget how to read, but we know our rights and we will fight to defend them.”
The constitutional protections enshrined in the Fourteenth Amendment are currently under attack. Recent actions and proposals from the Trump Administration, including efforts to undermine birthright citizenship, restrict access to the ballot, and erode due process protections for immigrants threaten the constitutional guarantees of the Fourteenth Amendment and fundamental freedoms for all people, regardless of race, background, belief, political affiliation, or place of residence, including freedom of expression, freedom from arbitrary detention, equal treatment under the law, and fair governance.
“What we are seeing across the country today – ICE terrorizing our communities, storming homes without warrants and deporting families without trial – is not happening in a vacuum. It is in lockstep with the Trump administration’s unprecedented campaign in the courts to wholesale destroy our constitutional rights,” said DaMareo Cooper, Executive Director of Popular Democracy. “Eroding the 14th Amendment – and its fundamental promises of due process and equal protection under the law – is an assault on the very fabric of our democracy. It threatens everything from anti-discrimination protections to marriage equality to workers’ rights. It’s critical that our leaders have the moral clarity to fight back. We are grateful for Congresswoman Tlaib’s leadership, and we call on every elected official to join her in defense of these basic human rights.”
This legislation is cosponsored by Angie Craig (MN-02), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Jim Costa (CA-21), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), and Summer Lee (PA-12).
This legislation is endorsed by Popular Democracy, African Human Rights Coalition, American Friends Service Committee, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, Arkansas Community Organizations, Asian Law Caucus, CASA, Center for Constitutional Rights, Coalition For Women In Journalism, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Food & Water Watch, GALEO & GALEO Impact Fund, Get Free, Hindus for Human Rights, Hindus for Human Rights Action, Human Rights First, Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef), Indivisible Marin, Justice Is Global, Kino Border Initiative, LGBT Michigan, Mauritanians Network for Human Rights, Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance (MIRA), Movement for Black Lives, MPower Change Action Fund, Muslim Advocates, Muslims for Just Futures, National Immigrant Justice Center, National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, Peace Action, Peace Justice Sustainability NOW, People Power United, People’s Action Institute, Public Citizen, Refugee Support Network, ReThinking Foreign Policy, Rising Majority, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), Sunrise Movement, UltraViolet Action, United for Respect, United Stateless, Vera Institute of Justice, Voices for Progress, Women Press Freedom, X-Lab, and Zetas in Action.
A copy of the legislation is available here.
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