1898 U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark case

The 1898 U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark case established that anyone born in the United States is automatically a citizen, even if their parents are foreign and in the country illegally. Wong Kim Ark, born in California to Chinese parents, was denied re-entry after a trip overseas. The Supreme Court ruled that the 14th Amendment guarantees U.S. citizenship to all people born on American soil, regardless of their parents’ nationality, affirming birthright citizenship as a fundamental American right.