Departure Statement of Wong Kim Ark
11/5/1894
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Birthright citizenship was put to test in the case of Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco, CA, in 1873, to immigrant parents who returned to China when he was a teen. In August 1895, upon his return to the United States after visiting with family in China, Wong Kim Ark was denied entry on the claim that he was not a citizen despite his San Francisco birth. However the U.S. District Court determined that Wong Kim Ark “is a citizen of the United States within the meaning of the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment.” Appeals eventually went all the way to the Supreme Court resulting in the 1898 precedent-setting ruling affirming birthright citizenship and protecting U.S.- born descendants of immigrants from being denied this citizenship, regardless of the ethnicity, nationality, or status of their parents.
This departure statement from 1894 details Wong Kim Ark's plan to visit China and return to the United States. Three individuals signed the statement attesting to his identity and it was notarized by Robert M. Edwards.
This departure statement from 1894 details Wong Kim Ark's plan to visit China and return to the United States. Three individuals signed the statement attesting to his identity and it was notarized by Robert M. Edwards.
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
National Archives Identifier: 2641490
Full Citation: Departure Statement of Wong Kim Ark; 11/5/1894; In the Matter of Wong Kim Ark for a Writ of Habeas Corpus; Admiralty Case Files, 1851–1966; Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21; National Archives at San Francisco, San Bruno, CA. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/departure-statement-of-wong-kim-ark, March 27, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.