Birthright Citizenship in the United States: History and Controversy

The USF Center for Asia Pacific Studies welcomes Bill Ong Hing for a lecture on the history and ongoing debate surrounding birthright citizenship.

In this talk, Prof. Hing will explore the origins and evolution of birthright citizenship in the United States, examining its impact on national identity, immigration policy, and civil rights. He will address current challenges under the Trump administration, delve into the legal and political debates, and consider whether the Supreme Court will uphold its 1898 decision in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, a landmark case that affirmed birthright citizenship as a constitutional right.

Bill Ong Hing is the Associate Dean for Faculty Scholarship and Professor of Law and Migration Studies at the University of San Francisco. He is also an Emeritus Professor of Law and Asian American Studies at U.C. Davis. He founded the Immigrant Legal Resource Center in San Francisco 1979 and serves as the founding director of the USF Immigration & Deportation Defense Clinic. 

Professor Hing teaches Immigration Law & Policy, Introduction to Migration Studies, and Rebellious Lawyering. Throughout his career, Professor Hing has pursued social justice by combining community work, litigation, and scholarship.  His books include Humanizing Immigration: How to Transform Our Racist and Unjust System (2023), American Presidents, Deportations, and Human Rights Violations (2019), Immigration Law and Social Justice (2018); Ethical Borders—NAFTA, Globalization and Mexican Migration (2010); Deporting Our Souls—Values, Morality, and Immigration Policy (2006), Defining America Through Immigration Policy (2004), and Making and Remaking Asian America Through Immigration Policy (1993). 

He was co-counsel in the U.S. Supreme Court case INS v. Cardoza-Fonseca (1987), which set a precedent for asylum law, and represented the State Bar of California before the California Supreme Court in In re Sergio Garcia (2014), which addressed bar membership for undocumented law graduates. Professor Hing also serves on the board of Futuro Media, a nonprofit news media organization dedicated to advancing Latino voices through innovative storytelling and media initiatives. 

Community Partners: Asian Studies, Asian Pacific American Studies, Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Center, Department of Politics, Department of History, and the School of Law