Fourteenth Amendment

Text

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the U.S. are citizens; no state shall abridge the privileges or immunities of U.S. citizens; nor deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; nor deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Section 2. (Apportionment rules).
Section 3. (Bars certain former rebels from office unless Congress removes the disability).
Section 4. (Public debt validity; no payment for rebellion or loss of slaves).
Section 5. Congress may enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Plain English

Makes people born or naturalized here citizens; requires states to provide due process and equal protection; and lets Congress enforce these protections.