Are you for or against US CITIZENSHIP for babies of non-citizens born here?

Question

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/07/romney-still-lo.html

ABC News' Teddy Davis Reports: Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney backs an end to the policy known as chain migration but he has not yet reached a conclusion on the more controversial question of whether the United States should end birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to illegal immigrants.

Answer 1

This very question was the crux of my difficulty in coming to a conclusion about how I feel about our illegal aliens. Part of me, in a very knee-jerk manner, immediately thought, there's no way around this, if you are born on American soil you are an American, now and forever. But then I became aware of just how many illegals come here specifically to have their children on our soil, which they know makes it more difficult for us to kick them out unceremoniously. It's a Catch-22, slated to their advantage and that alone makes me angry.

In the end I came to the conclusion that we cannot keep allowing this to go on unabated. But the question remains as to how hard would it be to tell a 12 year old kid who was born here, gone to our schools and rightfully, including by our Constitution, considers themselves an American that they've got to hit the road to Mexico with their parents. It's not an easy question. The best thing I could come up with was setting a date, formally, by law, that says as of January 1, 2008 (for example), no child born to someone here illegally in the United States would be considered an American citizen. At least it would be a step in the right direction, in my opinion.

Answer 2

If parents have migrated to the USA legally and are abiding by the laws of the nation regarding citizenship and immigration, the children born here should be birthright citizens. However, it seems unfair that citizenship would be granted automatically for anyone who came into the country illegally or under false pretenses, since citizenship is a reward, a priviledge and a responsibility which requires loyalty and commitment.

Answer 3

For. It is a right granted by the 14th Amendment.

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. 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."

However,there is no Constitutional requirement that a minor US citizen is required to stay in the US. If the parents are illegal, they should be given the option of imprisonment or deportation, either taking the minor child with them or placing it in the foster system or up for adoption.

To strip someone of the joys of citizenship based on the illegal acts of their parents is wrong. It is the parents who need to be punished rather than the innocent child who was an unwilling participant in the crime.

Of course, Romney is looking at the effect ("anchor babies") but not addressing the cause (lax border security). Pregnancy is defined as a medical condition and, as such, should disqualify someone from crossing the border legally.

Answer 4

You are confused. The issue of who is an American citizen was discussed well before the 14th Amendment. The issue came up of what does Article II, Section I mean when it says: ""No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President.."" It was felt all persons born in the United States, except those not subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. government (such as children of foreign diplomats) are citizens by birth. The only way we could NOT call the children of illegals "natural born citizens" is to say the illegals are not subject to the jurisdiction of the US government. It would be giving all of the illegals "diplomatic immunity" which would be a worse situation than we have now. However, that does not prevent us from deporting the illegal parents. If they do not want to break up the family, they can take the kids with them. But in many cases, the parents abandon the child and go home.

Answer 5

AGAINST! And here is an idea to handle this problem.
A child born in the U.S. to illegals......parents have two options.
1. Pack up and go home with little junior until the child turns 18. Then junior can come back to the U.S. as a "trial" citizen provided they gain legal employment within 90 days. If they abide by our laws, stay out of trouble then they can become full citizens.

2. The illegal parents can leave junior with legal residents or put junior up for adoption.

Answer 6

If that many illegals are getting into our country and starting families, whose fault is that again?

If our inaction allows these illegals, to come here, establish a life, and assimilate into their local communities, where does someone get the right to upheave that life, take it away from them, just because their parents came to America for a better life? Wasn't that the foundation, the dream that is the core principles that America was founded on?
Their children are going to school, making American friends, and we are suppose to take away their established life, along with take away an American's new friend?
Isn't that similar to ethnic cleansing?

If they are constantly breaking the law, even if they are naturalized citizens, I say send em back, as fast as we can give them the boot. If you cannot show respect for our laws, then you shouldn't be here. But if they come here, willing to be productive, law abiding citizens, that wish to assimilate as Americans, I don't see, considering the ideals that founded this great country, that we should not allow them to do so.
It isn't their fault, that they were allowed easy access to get acros the border. The fault lies on the heads of Congress, the President, and the people who elect them. The immigrants are only taking advantage of an opportunity, that we make easy for them to. Now close the %^$#@ border, and prevent any wire transfers of money across the border that does not, follow certain criteria, such as emergency funds for an American citizen outside our country! Do those two thingsand the problem goes away.

With that being said, I would also like to say, that i disagree with our tax dollars being used to cater to the ones who don't wish to learn English. A few English classes should be the only classes that are taught to them in their own language, after that, they are on their own.
Popping out a kid while vacationing here is another story altogether. I'm not sure that there are many countries that recognize that as a means to citizenship.

Answer 7

I am for it, anchor babies might suck but if we do not let the kid become our citizen then where does that leave them? Will Mexico allow it citizenship? Or even if not Mexico, what if it were a Chinese child, I would be willing to bet China would not accept it back into their country. I am a realist and I know anchor babies are going to have it tough, but being born on US soil should make it a US citizen. I am not willing to expel a baby into a very cruel world. We might not be the nicest but we are leaps and bounds above what many countries would do.

Of course get use to the fact that only one parent will stay if both are illegal, dad will probably get the heave ho and be deported. No chain immigration. If that isn't good enough let them legalize their kid in their home country.

Answer 8

I'm for an end to it, why encourage a someone to have a baby for the sake of citizenship? Many of those who do this are already poor and unlikely to be able to afford a child in the first place.

Answer 9

If I have a baby at the Hilton (or anywhere-not my home) shouldn't they be responsible for life for that baby--school, food, insurance, medical?? Of course NOT! Same thing-no of course not.

They can apply for citizenship like it should be. I have no problems with that. It is called control and order.
Just because a homeless persons has a baby in my yard doesn't mean they become mine for life and move in. How fair would that be to me?? Same thing

Answer 10

I think that if someone is born here they are a U.S. citizen. But that does not negate the fact that their parent's are not a U.S. citizens because they are illegal immigrants. So now what? It is a very difficult problem to resolve. Personally, I think they should be deported along with their parent and guardian, and when the child becomes of age (18 in the U.S.), the child could have the option of returning legally if they so choose.