Col. Allen West, executive director of the American Constitutional Rights Union and former U.S. Congressman, said the left has deliberately distorted the original intent of the 14th Amendment, which was designed to grant citizenship to freed slaves, not to serve as an open door for the children of illegal immigrants.
“I read the 14th Amendment, and I understand the context of the 14th Amendment. The 13th Amendment, which the Democrats did not support, freed the slaves,” West said on the Restoration Spotlight Podcast by Restoration News. “And then, of course, the 14th Amendment comes along, and it gives citizenship to those people that were, you know, recently freed from slavery so that they can be citizens of the United States of America.”
According to the National Archives, the 14th Amendment was passed by Congress on June 13, 1866, and ratified on July 9, 1868, with its primary purpose being to extend citizenship and equal protection under the law to formerly enslaved people following the Civil War.
West said that the original purpose has since been twisted beyond recognition to justify a policy its framers never intended.
“What we have allowed the left to do is pervert this for their ideological agenda that basically says anybody can come into this country illegally and you can give birth and that person is a citizen in this country,” West said.
According to the Heritage Foundation, the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment was originally understood as conferring birthright citizenship only on the U.S.-born children of citizens, newly freed slaves, and those similarly situated, and not on the children of those who owe allegiance to a foreign power.
West is a 22-year Army combat veteran, Bronze Star recipient, and former U.S. Congressman who represented Florida’s 22nd District in the 112th Congress. He currently serves as Executive Director of the American Constitutional Rights Union, a constitutional conservative organization founded to counter the ACLU.
Restoration Spotlight is a podcast hosted by Hayden Ludwig that features interviews with advocates, experts and political commentators on topics including drug policy, economic issues, gender policy and national security. The show describes itself as an alternative to mainstream media coverage and is produced by Restoration News.
