What about anchor babies?

Question

Are they worthy of calling themselves Americans

It's the law prohibiting them citizenship would be breaking the law.

If not what makes you worthy of being called American

Answer 1

Yes, they were born here and under the US Constitution are US citizens.

Answer 2

Please explain to me what exactly these babies are "anchoring"?

I am ignorant and obviously don't understand the terminology.

If they are "anchor babies" then it seems logical that they should "anchor" something... right?

Do you believe that immediately upon birth these "anchor babies" have the right to automatically bestow automatic citizenship or (at the very darned least) permanent residency (green card status) to their unlawfully present parents?

If you believe that, then you obviously have not even the foggiest basic understanding of US immigration law.

For example, if the parents of a 2 year-old so-called "anchor baby" are caught being unlawfully present in the US, they will most certainly be deported. The fact that the aliens have a US citizen "anchor baby" doesn't mean diddly-squat to the Immigration Judge who will take less than 5 minutes deporting both of the parents. If the parents come back after being deported they have a lifetime bar from ever immigrating to the US.

Let's change the hypothetical to be a 16 year old "anchor baby". ...Same result. Parents are getting deported back to Michoacan and if they return -- a lifetime bar.

Please tell me how this term "anchor babies" works?

What exactly are they "anchoring" and how and when exactly does this "anchoring" take place?

Do you honestly believe that by changing the law that it will prohibit undocumented workers from coming to the US? Have tougher sentences, such as life imprisonment for juveniles, decreased juvenile crime at all?

If you really want to see things change dramatically and quickly, let's put the entire board of directors (including CEOs, CFOs, etc) of large companies that exploit cheap undocumented labor into prison for 5 years if they have more than 10 undocumented workers. No pity. No exceptions.

This whole thing about "anchor babies" is just a smoke screen.

Keep your eye on the ball.

~An advocate for intellectual honesty,

Mr. Schmegicky

Answer 3

Our current law states they are U.S. Citizens if they were born here. But there should be an exception to the rule, if one or both of their parents entered this Country Illegally then their parents should be deported, this should be verified at the hospital at the time of check in, the parents should have to show proof of residency. I know this sounds harsh and unfair but their parents have no right to be here, and since the child is of course a minor they should have a right to raise their child. In order for them to do that unfortunately that child would be taken out of the Country of their birth, by their illegal parents. If the illegals have family here that are legal and they wish the child to live with then so be it. The Child has every right in the world to come back to the U.S. when they turn 18.
No if this was an enforceable law, how many illegals would still come here? I bet not many.
People can give me all the thumbs down they want. And they can tell me I have no right to say the things I have said. But when we say we need more laws to curb illegal immigration, illegals having babies here to "anchor" themselves is a major problem we need to correct.

Answer 4

It would be nice if there was a license required for people to raise children in the US. Some people are not qualified to be parents. Crack and methheads are not qualified, but they are allowed to procreate without threat of deportation.

Granted the illegals are using children to live here, but many of them are better parents than some multi-generational Americans.
I don't like the idea of uneducated and anti-American illegals procreating here for shelter and food, but if stupid Americans' children are "worthy" of citizenship, i don't see why the anchor babies should be regarded any less worthy.

The best way to lessen the rabbit-like breeding of illegals is to change the law denying automatic citizenship. Anyone born *before* the law change, their *mothers* should be granted amnesty.

Answer 5

It is NOT the law. Never has been, never will be. It is the blatant, perverted interpretation of that law that allows this crime to continue.
The author of the CITIZENSHIP clause of the 14th amendment, Senator Jacob Howard, argued to include the phrase "and subject to the jurisdiction of" because he wanted to make it perfectly CLEAR that the mere ACCIDENT of birth was NOT sufficient to justify citizenship.

Howard said:

[The 14th amendment] will NOT, of course, include persons born in the United States who are Foreigners, ALIENS, who belong to the families of ambassadors or foreign ministers accredited to the government of the United States, but will include every other class of person

The intent is perfectly clear. This was the amendment everyone agreed to and ratified. Offspring of Foreiners or Aliens were NOT citizens.

Answer 6

Having an illegal immigrant break all laws necessary to drop a baby on American soil should in no way make you an American.

Answer 7

I don't agree with anchor babies having US citizenship. They should only have US citizenship if at least one of their parents is a legal US citizen. Otherwise, they should only have the citizenship of their parents.

Answer 8

That law is very loosely written. In other words the law doesn't get into specifics about the guidelines as to where they are from or what the situation is.

It was created for people who were children of slaves so that they woudln't be denied citizenship.
I think that the supreme court could make a ruling on its limitations. But I doubt that will happen. It will take changing the law I would imagine.

Answer 9

Citizenship should be determined by the citizenship of the parents and/or their status in the US at the time of birth.

Answer 10

Anchor babies...the children of illegal immigrants born inside the country they entered illegaly. Technically speaking, illegal immigrants have no records on file therefore, they do not exist in the country. If there are no parents, then there can't be any babies, making them non-existant.

Therefore my answer is HELL FREAKIN' NO!!!!

Answer 11

if the parents are illegal Aliens , i think the kid shouldn't get automatic citizenship maybe a green card and down the road the kid can apply for citizenship.