Congressman Cleaver Named Co-Chair of House Democratic Task Force to Defend 14th Amendment

July 16, 2026 Press Release Congressman Cleaver also delivers House floor remarks highlighting threats to equal protection, due process, and birthright citizenship (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), announced his appointment as Co-Chair of the newly established House Democratic Defend the 14 th Amendment Task Force, a coalition of Members dedicated to protecting the constitutional guarantees of equal protection, due process, birthright citizenship, and civil rights in the face of ongoing legal and political challenges. Rep. Cleaver joins Representatives Analilia Mejia (D-NJ), Emily Randall (D-WA), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), and Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) in leading the Task Force, which will coordinate congressional oversight, engage constitutional scholars and legal experts, educate the public, and respond to efforts that undermine the rights secured by the Fourteenth Amendment. “As someone whose life has been shaped by the Civil Rights Movement and whose ministry and public service have always been rooted in the pursuit of justice, I know the promises of our Constitution are only as strong as our willingness to defend them,” said Congressman Cleaver . “The 14 th Amendment is the constitutional foundation for equal protection, due process, and civil rights in America. When those protections come under attack, we cannot afford silence or complacency. I am honored to help lead this Task Force as we work to ensure these constitutional guarantees remain real and meaningful for every American.” “The 14th Amendment reminds us that the promise of the Constitution belongs to all of us. It serves as the basis for the civil rights movement and ensures that every American has equal rights in this country, no matter who they are or where they come from. As Trump and Republicans attempt to undermine these liberties, House Democrats stand united in fighting for equal opportunity and equal protection under the law, and I’m grateful to Reps. Mejia, Cleaver, Randall, Simon and Subramanyam for their leadership in this fight,” said Chairman Pete Aguilar . “We are witnessing a coordinated campaign by the Trump administration and a radicalized Supreme Court to dismantle the fundamental freedoms forged in the aftermath of slavery and protected by the 14th Amendment, including the right to vote, equal protection and due process under the law, and the citizenship of every child born on this soil. This is a deliberate strategy to silence the communities who fought hardest to build this democracy and to strip them of the rights they bled for,” said Rep. Analilia Mejia . “I formed the Defend the 14th Amendment Task Force with my colleagues because these rights have never been self-executing — they have been won through struggle, defended through sacrifice, and they will be defended again. Democracy is only possible with equality, and equality is only made possible by the 14th Amendment.” “Last week's decision affirmed the actual words in the constitution — that if you are born in this country, you are a citizen of this country — but the fact the 4 justices dissented shows that we’re not safe from these continuous attacks from Donald Trump, his administration, and what is an activist and extremist conservative Supreme Court. We have to continue fighting to ensure that the citizens of the United States are protected and that nothing erodes that constitutional protection,” said Rep. Emily Randall . "The 14th Amendment granted citizenship BOTH to formerly enslaved people and all persons born in this nation. While the Supreme Court did their basic job in affirming the Constitution, threats to our constitutional and civil rights remain," said Rep. Lateefah Simon . Republicans are hell bent on redrawing this nation in their image. The 14th Amendment was fought for - not given, and I join my colleagues as leaders of this Task Force and the continued effort to fight for and defend the 14th Amendment. “Birthright citizenship continues to be under attack by the President Trump and his administration. I am excited to join my colleagues as we push to protect the 14th Amendment and make sure we uphold it for generations to come. It is a core principle that belonging in this country is a right you are born with, not a gift that can be taken away,” said Rep. Suhas Subramanyam . Following the Task Force’s launch, Rep. Cleaver joined his fellow co-chairs on the House floor during a Special Order Hour focused on defending the Fourteenth Amendment and warning against efforts to erode constitutional rights incrementally. “History teaches us that constitutional rights are rarely lost all at once,” Rep. Cleaver said during his floor remarks . “They’re chipped away slowly - one exception, one excuse, one precedent at a time - until Americans wake up and discover that what once seemed guaranteed has quietly disappeared. We will defend equal protection. We will defend due process. We will defend birthright citizenship. And we will continue fighting until the promise of the 14 th Amendment is not merely something we celebrate in history books, but something every American can experience in their daily lives.” Watch Rep. Cleaver’s remarks from the House floor here . Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance. Issues : Civil Rights