Only thirty-five nations still grant automatic citizenship to anyone born on their soil

The principle of jus soli, or right of the soil, traces back to 1608 English common law where birthplace determined a person's lifelong allegiance. While 165 nations now use jus sanguinis, which grants citizenship based on parental bloodlines, thirty-five countries still uphold the automatic birthright system. In the United States, this was solidified by the 14th Amendment in 1868 to overturn the denial of Black citizenship and ensure that all persons born on American soil are recognized as citizens.