Posted on 08/11/2010 4:13:48 PM PDT by NoLibZone
One in twelve babies born in the U.S. in 2008 were the offspring of illegal immigrants, according to a new study, a statistic that could inflame the debate over birthright citizenship.
Undocumented immigrants make up slightly more than 4% of the U.S. adult population. However, their babies represented twice that share, or 8%, of all births on U.S. soil in 2008, according to the nonpartisan Pew Research Center's report.
The report, based on Census Bureau data and analysis of demographic characteristics of the undocumented population, also found that the lion's share, or 79%, of the 5.1 million children of illegal immigrants residing in the U.S. in 2009 were born in the U.S. and therefore citizens.
About 11 million undocumented immigrants live in the U.S. Latinos account for 75% of undocumented U.S. immigrants and about 85% of the births among that population.
Amid a heated national debate over illegal immigration, some Republican politicians have been calling for changes to the Constitution's 14th Amendment,
Late last month, South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham announced his support for reconsidering automatic U.S. citizenship for babies born to undocumented immigrants.
Recently, Mr. Graham's idea has been embraced by several other lawmakers, including Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl of Arizona, where state legislators passed a controversial law to quash illegal immigration.
Legislation to amend birthright citizenship stalled when it was introduced in the past decade in the House. It would require a vote of two-thirds of the House and Senate, and would have to be ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures.
Proponents of amending the 14th Amendment, which was enacted in 1868, say it was intended to guarantee citizenship to freed slaves after the Civil War, not the offspring of illegal immigrants.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
The man who wrote the fourteenth’s citizenship clause, Sen. Jacob Howard of Michigan:
“This amendment which I have offered [citizenship clause to the fourteenth amendment] is simply declaratory of what I regard as the law of the land already, that every person born within the limits of the United States, and subject to their jurisdiction, is by virtue of natural law and national law a citizen of the United States. This 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 persons. It settles the great question of citizenship and removes all doubt as to what persons are or are not citizens of the United States. This has long been a great desideratum in the jurisprudence and legislation of this country.”[10]
http://towncriernews.blogspot.com/search?q=jacob+howard
““in 1868 ... not the offspring of illegal immigrants”
Of course it wasn’t intended for illegal immigrants in 1868 because there was no such thing as an illegal immigrant in 1868. The concept did not exist in the USA.”
Actually, it did.
The man who wrote the fourteenth’s citizenship clause, Sen. Jacob Howard of Michigan:
“This amendment which I have offered [citizenship clause to the fourteenth amendment] is simply declaratory of what I regard as the law of the land already, that every person born within the limits of the United States, and subject to their jurisdiction, is by virtue of natural law and national law a citizen of the United States.****** This 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 persons. It settles the great question of citizenship and removes all doubt as to what persons are or are not citizens of the United States. This has long been a great desideratum in the jurisprudence and legislation of this country.”[10]
http://towncriernews.blogspot.com/search?q=jacob+howard
Once people really know the implications of birthright citizenship, they start thinking differently.
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