Posted on 03/02/2005 9:38:45 AM PST by Happy2BMe
Bill would deny U.S. citizenship to children of illegal immigrants
A bill recently introduced in Congress would deny U.S. citizenship to children born to illegal immigrants. Supporters said the bill, called the Citizenship Reform Act of 2005, would be a good way to control the number of people who have the right to claim citizenship ---- and the rights and benefits that come with it. Opponents said the measure was "extreme" and would be likely to face constitutional challenges.
An estimated 200,000 to 300,000 children are born to illegal immigrants in the United States each year, according to the Center for Immigration Studies, a policy and research group that advocates for stricter immigration controls.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform, a group that also supports stricter policies, estimated that California spends about $7.7 billion each year to educate about 1 million children of illegal immigrants.
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"Citizenship means you have some stake in this country; it's not just an accident of geography," said Ira Mehlman, a spokesman of the federation, which supports the measure.
However, immigrant-rights groups say that citizenship is a fundamental right that cannot be taken away by Congress.
"Citizenship belongs to a person wherever they are born," said Katherine Cullion, an attorney with the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, a Latino rights group. "The most basic, fundamental right is the right to citizenship in the country where you were born."
Advocates for and against the measure, which has surfaced in various forms before, said the bill is unlikely to go far in Congress. The bill is now in the House Judiciary Committee. No hearing on the bill has been scheduled.
"This is really a perennial bill; it comes up each spring," said Angela Kelley, deputy director of the National Immigration Forum, an immigrant-rights advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. "It gets a handful of co-sponsors and never sees the light of day."
If enacted, the bill would stipulate that children born in the United States would be considered American citizens only if born to parents who are citizens or legal residents living in the country. Under current law, any children born in the country can claim American citizenship.
The bill was introduced last month by Georgia Republican Rep. Nathan Deal and was co-sponsored by 16 other representatives, including Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach; Rep. Gary Miller, R-Diamond Bar; and Tom Tancredo, R-Colorado.
Anti-illegal immigrant groups, such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform, say immigration, legal and illegal, is largely responsible for a population explosion that could lead to unprecedented social, economic and environmental problems.
"Massive population growth has and will continue to have a profound impact on the lives of all Americans," said Dan Stein, president of the federation. The group released a study this week that indicated more than half of the nation's population growth over the last 35 years is due to immigration.
However, Steven Camarota, the Center for Immigration Studies' director of research, said the citizenship bill itself will not solve the nation's illegal immigration problem. Without immigration enforcement elsewhere, such as at the border and at work sites, denying citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants would only make the number of illegal immigrants grow.
"By itself, it doesn't move the ball forward very much, if at all," Camarota said.
For pointing out that truth get ready for the attacks claiming you are pro-II.
The "Exceptions Clause" is roundly ignored by Congress since it is too cowardly to direct the Court.
Not without proof of birth.
Impeachment is not a remedy for unpopular opinions which is why the Court was made immune from most political pressure.
OK,
So first we repeal the 14th amendment,
then we restore it.
Just change "US" "USA" or "American" with "Costa Rican".
Problem solved!
What is the difference between an American Citizen and an American National?
It must be emphasized that this is the humane thing also. Pregnant Mexicans are being caught trying to cross the border so that their child will be a US citizen. All they should come to expect for their trouble is summary deportation.
If Mexico is so bad, let them fix their own country.
NOt totally true there was still a period of naturalization required before citizenship was conferred. There was a big stink when Congress wanted to extend the period to 7 yrs (I think) under Adams.
They don't wonder and there is no reason they should. They can easily see that they are fighting to preserve a country that people are desperate to get into.
You can't see that?
Very good point.
And the Juvenile death penalty was upheld in Stanford v. Kentucky in 1989. Yesterday it was overturned in Roper v. Simmons. Why should they uphold a 1880 decision on immigration in light of increased abuse in the time since? Times change. That was the whole point of Roper v. Simmons.
And besides Native Americans were not included as citizens in 1880 despite being native born. It took an act of Congress (note that it was not a judicial decision, but an act of Congress) to give them citizenship in 1924.
DITTO!
About go**amn time.
A salient attribute of national sovereignty is the ability of a country to control its own borders, and I think our southwestern border should be manned by National Guardsmen. I believe Mexico's inaction in regard to this problem to be the actions of an aggressive, unfriendly neighbor.
So you're preaching to the choir, but I'll give you an "Amen".
His parents were here legally.
What about a bill making it illegal to cross the US border without proper authorization. Oh I forgot! It's already illegal to do that.
What about enforcing the current laws and stop wasting time in stupid bills?
Ping for later.
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