APUSH Immigration Complete Practice Test 2026

The ruling in United States v. Wong Kim Ark established that children of immigrants born in the United States are citizens under the 14th Amendment, which asserts that anyone born on U.S. soil is entitled to citizenship. This case involved Wong Kim Ark, the child of Chinese immigrants, and addressed the interpretation of the term "jurisdiction" in the 14th Amendment. The Supreme Court determined that because Wong Kim Ark was born in the U.S., he was automatically a citizen, regardless of his parents' immigration status.

This landmark decision reinforced the principle of jus soli, or "right of the soil," which grants citizenship to those born within the territory of the United States. It set a critical precedent in immigration law and citizenship rights, ensuring that birthright citizenship was recognized even for children of foreign nationals.