Birthright citizenship remains in effect despite recent court decisions and President Donald Trump's executive order

Rights are never self-enforcing and there’s no language so perfect that having it written down will inherently resolve a problem forever,” noted historian Gregory Downs, pinpointing the essence of the maelstrom surrounding birthright citizenship in the United States.

Trump’s executive order, signed in January, seeks to deny citizenship to children who are born to people who are living in the U.S. illegally or temporarily. It is part of the hard-line immigration agenda of the president, who has called birthright citizenship a “magnet for illegal immigration.”

Efforts to redefine the 14th Amendment could leave thousands of children stateless and trigger constitutional battles.

Republican U.S. Senators Introduce Legislation to End Birthright Citizenship for Children of Illegal Immigrants, Terrorists, and Foreign Spies

Carpenter holds a master's degree in education from Augusta State University and a doctorate of education from Georgia Southern University. He previously served as superintendent of the Hickman Mills school district from 2013 to 2017, then became the first Black superintendent for the Lee's Summit School District from 2017 to 2019.