Uphold the 14th
Editor, The Commercial:
As an Arkansan and an American, I was taught that the Constitution is the most important governing document in our country’s history. The first sentence of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says: “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.”
Donald Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship is a cruel and unconstitutional assault on our democracy. Yet Senators Cotton and Boozman have voiced their support for these measures, making a mockery of the oaths they swore when they took office. Their complicity is not only a betrayal of the 14th Amendment and the fundamental rights it guarantees to every child born in this country, but a direct attack on our Constitution.
This moment demands courage and clarity, not political games. Our elected representatives are instilling a new fear in people across this nation who have spent their whole lives calling this country home.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
We need answers. Will Senators Tom Cotton and John Boozman defend the Constitution, or will they stand by as our friends, neighbors, and fellow Arkansans are targeted by this anti-American policy? In this critical moment, our community deserves leaders who will stand up against injustice and fight for Arkansas.
Erica Kriner,
Rison