[HarryKnutszacke]

So all the references in the Bill of Rights to "the people" really means "the citizens"?

Look, I'm not sure I know what the answer is, but consider the following. Many over the years have argued that what is important about the bill of rights is that it didn't GRANT rights, it RECOGNIZED rights, rights that inherently belonged to people, by virtue of their being, well, people. As the Declaration says, "that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights". Notice that the common construction of the amendments is "the right of . . . the people to . . . shall not be infringed", not "the right to.. . is granted to"

However, I don't see where it says we can't control who comes into the country, and deport non-citizens as we see fit.

Disclaimer:
I'm not a constitutional lawyer.
I didn't even stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Harry K.

[BikerNYC]

Look at the 14th Amendment:

No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

There is a distinction made between "citizens" and "persons." I don't think we should be reading "citizens" unless the word "citizens" is actually used.