
There is a common misconception that the US Constitution only applies to US citizens. However, the Constitution does not specify whether it applies only to citizens, and in fact, the Bill of Rights protects everyone, including undocumented immigrants, to exercise free speech, religion, assembly, and to be free from unlawful government interference. The only rights specifically reserved for citizens are running for office, voting, and serving on a jury.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who is protected by the Constitution? | Citizens and non-citizens |
| Who is not protected by the Constitution? | N/A |
| What rights are reserved for citizens? | Running for office, voting, serving on a jury |
| What rights are protected for citizens and non-citizens? | Free speech, religion, assembly, freedom from unlawful government interference |
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What You'll Learn
- The right to vote is reserved for citizens
- The right to run for office is reserved for citizens
- The right to serve on a jury is reserved for citizens
- The Bill of Rights protects everyone, including undocumented immigrants, to exercise free speech, religion and assembly
- The 14th Amendment ensures that no particular group is discriminated against unlawfully

The right to vote is reserved for citizens
There is a misconception that the US Constitution applies only to US citizens. In fact, the Bill of Rights protects everyone, including undocumented immigrants, to exercise free speech, religion, assembly, and to be free from unlawful government interference. The only rights specifically reserved for citizens are running for office, voting, and serving on a jury.
The US Constitution does not specify whether the First Amendment applies only to citizens. Rather, those who wrote it talked about "the people". At the time the Constitution was written, many of "the people" were born outside the young country. Whether someone is fully protected by the First Amendment can depend on their legal status in the country.
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The right to run for office is reserved for citizens
There is a misconception that the US Constitution applies only to US citizens. In fact, the Bill of Rights protects everyone, including undocumented immigrants, to exercise free speech, religion, assembly, and to be free from unlawful government interference. The 14th Amendment ensures that no particular group is discriminated against unlawfully.
However, there are some rights that are reserved for citizens. The right to run for office is one of these. Only citizens can run for office, vote, and serve on a jury. When the terms "resident" or "person" are used instead of "citizen", the rights and privileges afforded are extended to protect citizens and non-citizens alike.
The Constitution does not specify whether the First Amendment applies only to citizens. At the time the Constitution was written, many of "the people" were born outside the young country. Whether someone is fully protected by the First Amendment can depend on their legal status in the country.
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The right to serve on a jury is reserved for citizens
There is a misconception that the US Constitution applies only to US citizens. In fact, nearly all of the constitution applies to "persons", meaning everyone (citizens, travellers, illegal immigrants).
The only rights specifically reserved for citizens are running for office, voting, and serving on a jury. The right to serve on a jury is therefore reserved for citizens. This is because some passages and phrases in laws explicitly state that only "citizens" are afforded certain rights. However, when the terms "resident" or "person" are used instead of "citizen", the rights and privileges afforded are extended to protect citizens and non-citizens alike.
The Bill of Rights protects everyone, including undocumented immigrants, to exercise free speech, religion, assembly, and to be free from unlawful government interference. Protections under the 14th Amendment also ensure that no particular group is discriminated against unlawfully.
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The Bill of Rights protects everyone, including undocumented immigrants, to exercise free speech, religion and assembly
There is a misconception that the US Constitution only applies to US citizens. However, this is not true. The Bill of Rights protects everyone, including undocumented immigrants, to exercise free speech, religion and assembly.
The Constitution does not specify whether the First Amendment applies only to citizens. Instead, it refers to 'the people'. At the time the Constitution was written, many of 'the people' were born outside the country. When the terms 'resident' or 'person' are used instead of 'citizen', the rights and privileges afforded are extended to protect citizens and non-citizens alike.
The only rights specifically reserved for citizens are running for office, voting, and serving on a jury.
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The 14th Amendment ensures that no particular group is discriminated against unlawfully
It is a common misconception that the US Constitution applies only to US citizens. While some passages and phrases in the law explicitly state that only "citizens" are afforded certain rights, such as the right to vote, the use of the terms "resident", "person" or "the people" means that the rights and privileges afforded are extended to protect citizens and non-citizens alike.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the Constitution applies to 'persons', meaning everyone (citizens, travellers, illegal immigrants).
The right to vote, run for office and serve on a jury.
The Constitution does not specify whether the First Amendment applies only to citizens. It talks about 'the people', and at the time it was written, many of 'the people' were born outside the country.
Non-citizens have the right to free speech, religion, assembly, and to be free from unlawful government interference.
No, protections under the 14th Amendment ensure that no particular group is discriminated against unlawfully.

























