Director Ava DuVernay announced on Thursday that she has completed a new documentary for Netflix titled "14th," which examines the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The film focuses on the amendment's historical origins following the Civil War, its role in granting citizenship to formerly enslaved people, and its current legal status regarding birthright citizenship.
The announcement comes as President Donald Trump has frequently questioned the legal interpretation of the 14th Amendment. The president has stated that he believes he has the executive authority to end birthright citizenship—the principle that most people born on U.S. soil are automatically citizens—via executive order, a claim that has been met with debate among constitutional scholars.
DuVernay's production company, ARRAY, indicated that the film will feature interviews with legal experts, historians, and activists to explore the amendment's impact on American civil rights. This project follows DuVernay's previous collaboration with Netflix, the 2016 documentary "13th," which analyzed the 13th Amendment and the U.S. prison system.