PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 16, 2026
Civil Rights Homeless Resolution Activist Veteran, Ted Hayes Files Amicus Curiae Brief Before U.S. Supreme Court on the Original Meaning of the 14th Amendment
Los Angeles, California — Civil rights activist and longtime homelessness advocate Ted Hayes announced today that he has mailed a pro se Amicus Curiae Brief to the United States Supreme Court addressing the constitutional meaning and historical purpose of the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause in the pending birthright citizenship case scheduled for oral argument on April 1, 2026.
Hayes, a surviving veteran of the late 1960s civil rights movement and a 40-year advocate for homeless Americans in Los Angeles, states that the case carries profound implications for the descendants of America’s formerly enslaved people, whom he describes as the original beneficiaries of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Fourteenth Amendment.
Born in 1951 in Aberdeen, Maryland, Hayes is the eldest son of a U.S. Army combat veteran and Buffalo Soldier of the 92nd Infantry Division, who served in World War II and the Korean War and was awarded the Purple Heart in both conflicts.
Hayes argues that the modern national debate over birthright citizenship has overlooked the Reconstruction-era legal framework established following the Civil War.
“The Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Fourteenth Amendment were enacted in direct response to the institution of chattel slavery and the need to secure the citizenship and civil rights of the formerly enslaved and their descendants,” Hayes said.
According to Hayes, the current constitutional controversy presents what he describes as “a historic moment requiring the Supreme Court to carefully examine the original legal intent of Reconstruction-era legislation.”
His brief draws attention to historical documents including the 1866 Civil Rights Act, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the veto message of President Andrew Johnson, which Hayes characterizes as key evidence in understanding the original legislative intent surrounding citizenship and equal protection.
Hayes believes the case represents a defining constitutional moment for the country.
“This matter concerns the continuing meaning of citizenship and the Reconstruction amendments adopted after the Civil War. The Court’s interpretation will have profound implications for the future understanding of American citizenship,” Hayes stated.
Hayes is widely known for his decades of grassroots work addressing homelessness in Los Angeles, including the founding of Justiceville and Dome Village, pioneering community models that drew national attention to the systemic causes of homelessness.
Through his current national initiative EXODUS II, Hayes advocates long-term structural solutions to homelessness and broader social reconciliation rooted in American constitutional ideals.
Hayes is encouraging members of the public, scholars, journalists, and civic leaders to review the case closely and engage in the national conversation surrounding the constitutional questions now before the Court.
Those wishing to receive further information, request a copy of the brief, or participate in discussion surrounding the issue may contact:
Justiceville Initiative
Email: Justiceville@TedHayes.us
Additional background information regarding Hayes’ initiatives and advocacy may be found at: http://TedHayes.us
As the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments in the case, Hayes urges Americans to recognize the gravity of the constitutional moment.
“The Reconstruction Amendments were born out of the Civil War and the nation’s effort to resolve the legacy of slavery. The meaning of those amendments remains central to the ongoing story of the American republic.” Ted Hayes
Media Contact
Ted Hayes
Justiceville – EXODUS II: 2028 LA Olympics Homeless Resolution Initiative
Justiceville@TedHayes.us
Los Angeles, California