“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. Nobody was required to get permission of the nanny state to enter the USA.
It was in the 1920s that the USA first passed laws making it a misdemeanor to enter the USA without playing mother-may-I. And it is still a misdemeanor less serious than parking in a handicap spot.
Prior to the 1920s immigration law said it was illegal only for undesireables to enter the USA (Murderers, prostitutes, slothful, Chinese, etc.).
Throughout US History it has ALWAYS been the pride of patriots that we welcomed anyone of good moral character.
We need to return to the historic immigration policy based on character. Government immigration policy should focus on
- terrorists
- murderers, rapists, DUI drivers, hit-n-run drivers, etc
- welfare parasites, truly undesireables
“good moral character”
That would be impossible to determine any longer.
““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