GBKH Partner Jim George recently wrote a commentary for Texas Tribune’s TribTalk blog headlined, “Texas violates 14th Amendment in denying birth certificates.” His article explains why the Texas-born children of undocumented immigrants are entitled to state birth certificates. Mr. George and Partner Gary L. Lewis co-authored an amicus curiae brief for the Texas Appleseed Foundation which supports the immigrant plaintiffs in the federal lawsuit, Perales Serna, et al. v. Texas Department of State Health Services. The lawsuit challenges the state’s demand for new forms of identification from the non-citizen parents in order to issue their children birth certificates. Mr. George’s article asks, “What about Texas’ obligation to make sure all children who are born in this state have a birth certificate issued shortly after birth?” He notes that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution ensures that all people born in this country are U.S. citizens. Yet, Texas “impermissibly punishes the children for the perceived failings of their parents.” Mr. George also was quoted on the issue in an article by the Austin American-Statesman. No trial date has been set in the case.