The eleventh amendment states...
The Judicial power of the United States shall not be constructed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of an Foreign State.
What it means to me...
This amendment prevents lawsuits against States by citizens of other States as well as foreign citizens. Also, it immunizes states from suit for money damages without their consent.
The following is an image that sums up the eleventh amendment...
This amendment protected state sovereignty and provided for what is known as the doctrine of sovereign immunity. (http://www.csc.noaa.gov/ptd/module08/lesson01/0801.htm)
The following is a video that relates the issue of sovereign immunity and the eleventh immunity...
In this video, Geraldo presents the horrifying story of a boy named Haseeb who is a resident of Willowbrook Mental Institution in Texas, a center for the mentally handicapped. His parents admitted him in order to help him improve his condition, but that was far from real. Haseeb was mercilessly beaten by an instutition employee multiple times. Today, even though his assailant has testified and is now serving time, Haseeb has yet to receive the justice he is due-all because of the sovereign immunity policy that the state of Texas maintains. Thus, Haseeb's family have been unable to sue because of this immunity, which is being protected by the eleventh amendment. This issue still needs to be dealt with today.
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