What is a citizen?

Citizens of the United States enjoy all of the freedoms, protections, and legal rights that the Constitution promises. However, living in the United States doesn't automatically make a person an American citizen. Only those people born in the United States or born to U.S. citizens in foreign countries are citizens of the United States. Persons born in other countries who want to become citizens must apply for and pass a citizenship test. Those who become citizens in this way are called naturalized citizens.