There is much chatter and confusion around the topic of “illegal immigrants”. Of particular interest is the status of their children if born on American soil: are they United States citizens? Let’s consider some of the relevant facts before reasoning to a conclusion. And let us bear in mind the fact that language-based arguments and provisions have their limitations, relying on much which goes unstated — proper understanding of context, including time, place, and circumstances. In the course of describing ideas, we are limited in foresight and by the customs and universal assumptions of our time; and in the course of reviewing those descriptions, we are limited by our understanding of their language, the concepts, the definitions of terms, and the experience and intentions of the writers. This is why it is imperative to carefully study and properly contextualize the history, the debates, and the supporting literature around the founding of the United States. The meaning of words and th...