It is beyond ironic that Cruz has sponsored legislation to exclude disfavored children from the Constitution, given that he is not a 14th Amendment citizen himself.

While a recent Justice Department memo prioritizes national security cases, it directs the department to “maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence” across 10 broad priority categories.

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. As I looked at the empty chair where Juan used to sit, everything started to make sense. Having been born here, Juan was a citizen of the United States, but his parents were not.