The 14th Amendment: Powerful Protections

By Rod Granger

The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, has been much in the news lately, and despite the contentious rhetoric and legal interpretations, it continues to provide powerful protections to immigrants and a host of other marginalized communities.

For example, safeguards ensured through the Amendment’s Section 1 include the guarantee of citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States,” “equal protection of the laws” for all citizens, and the prevention of states from “depriving any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.”

Other groups for whom the Amendment has served as an important bulwark against injustice include:

• African Americans, who used it to challenge and help do away with segregation laws, resulting in landmark cases such as Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which found that separate educational facilities were “inherently unequal.”

• LBGTQ+ individuals, who have successfully used it to fight for legal recognition and against discrimination in cases including Obergefell v. Hodges, which in 2015 guaranteed same-sex couples the right to marry.

As challenges to these well-established and historic rights persist, the Amendment’s continued effectiveness depends on:

• Public awareness and advocacy.

• Independent courts upholding protections and precedents.

• Effective enforcement by public institutions.

By understanding and proactively supporting the 14th Amendment, the Riverside community can continue its work protecting and championing the rights of our students and their families.