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§1401. Nationals and citizens of United States at birth (law-not constitution-re immigration)
http://uscode.house.gov/browse/prelim@title8/chapter12/subchapter3/part1&edition=prelim ^ | 2015 | US Congress

Posted on 08/18/2015 12:04:39 PM PDT by longtermmemmory

Title 8-ALIENS AND NATIONALITY CHAPTER 12-IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY SUBCHAPTER III-NATIONALITY AND NATURALIZATION Part I-Nationality at Birth and Collective Naturalization

§1401. Nationals and citizens of United States at birth The following shall be nationals and citizens of the United States at birth:

(a) a person born in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof;

(b) a person born in the United States to a member of an Indian, Eskimo, Aleutian, or other aboriginal tribe: Provided, That the granting of citizenship under this subsection shall not in any manner impair or otherwise affect the right of such person to tribal or other property;

(c) a person born outside of the United States and its outlying possessions of parents both of whom are citizens of the United States and one of whom has had a residence in the United States or one of its outlying possessions, prior to the birth of such person;

(d) a person born outside of the United States and its outlying possessions of parents one of whom is a citizen of the United States who has been physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for a continuous period of one year prior to the birth of such person, and the other of whom is a national, but not a citizen of the United States;

(e) a person born in an outlying possession of the United States of parents one of whom is a citizen of the United States who has been physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for a continuous period of one year at any time prior to the birth of such person;

(f) a person of unknown parentage found in the United States while under the age of five years, until shown, prior to his attaining the age of twenty-one years, not to have been born in the United States;

(g) a person born outside the geographical limits of the United States and its outlying possessions of parents one of whom is an alien, and the other a citizen of the United States who, prior to the birth of such person, was physically present in the United States or its outlying possessions for a period or periods totaling not less than five years, at least two of which were after attaining the age of fourteen years: Provided, That any periods of honorable service in the Armed Forces of the United States, or periods of employment with the United States Government or with an international organization as that term is defined in section 288 of title 22 by such citizen parent, or any periods during which such citizen parent is physically present abroad as the dependent unmarried son or daughter and a member of the household of a person (A) honorably serving with the Armed Forces of the United States, or (B) employed by the United States Government or an international organization as defined in section 288 of title 22, may be included in order to satisfy the physical-presence requirement of this paragraph. This proviso shall be applicable to persons born on or after December 24, 1952, to the same extent as if it had become effective in its present form on that date; and

(h) a person born before noon (Eastern Standard Time) May 24, 1934, outside the limits and jurisdiction of the United States of an alien father and a mother who is a citizen of the United States who, prior to the birth of such person, had resided in the United States.

(June 27, 1952, ch. 477, title III, ch. 1, §301, 66 Stat. 235 ; Pub. L. 89–770, Nov. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 1322 ; Pub. L. 92–584, §§1, 3, Oct. 27, 1972, 86 Stat. 1289 ; Pub. L. 95–432, §§1, 3, Oct. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 1046 ; Pub. L. 99–653, §12, Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3657 ; Pub. L. 103–416, title I, §101(a), Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4306 .)

Amendments 1994-Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 103–416 added subsec. (h).

1986-Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 99–653 substituted "five years, at least two" for "ten years, at least five".

1978-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–432, §3, struck out "(a)" before "The following" and redesignated pars. (1) to (7) as (a) to (g), respectively.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95–432, §1, struck out subsec. (b) which provided that any person who was a national or citizen of the United States under subsec. (a)(7) lose his nationality or citizenship unless he be continuously physically present in the United States for a period of not less than two years between the ages of 14 and 28 or that the alien parent be naturalized while the child was under 18 years of age and the child began permanent residence in the United States while under 18 years of age and that absence from the United States of less than 60 days not break the continuity of presence.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 95–432, §1, struck out subsec. (c) which provided that former subsec. (b) apply to persons born abroad subsequent to May 24, 1934, except that this not be construed to alter the citizenship of any person born abroad subsequent to May 24, 1934 who, prior to the effective date of this chapter, had taken up residence in the United States before attaining 16 years of age, and thereafter, whether before or after the effective date of this chapter, complied with the residence requirements of section 201(g) and (h) of the Nationality Act of 1940.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 95–432, §1, struck out subsec. (d) which provided that nothing in former subsec. (b) be construed to alter the citizenship of any person who came into the United States prior to Oct. 27, 1972, and who, whether before or after Oct. 27, 1972, immediately following such coming complied with the physical presence requirements for retention of citizenship specified in former subsec. (b), prior to amendment of former subsec. (b) by Pub. L. 92–584.

1972-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 92–584, §1, substituted provisions that nationals and citizens of the United States under subsec. (a)(7), lose such status unless they are present continuously in the United States for two years between the ages of fourteen and twenty eight years, or the alien parent is naturalized while the child is under the age of eighteen years and the child begins to reside permanently in the United States while under the age of eighteen years, and that absence from the United States of less than sixty days will not break the continuity of presence, for provisions that such status would be lost unless the nationals and citizens come to the United States prior to attaining twenty three years and be present continuously in the United States for five years, and that such presence should be between the age of fourteen and twenty eight years.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 92–584, §3, added subsec. (d).

1966-Subsec. (a)(7). Pub. L. 89–770 authorized periods of employment with the United States Government or with an international organization by the citizen parent, or any periods during which the citizen parent is physically present abroad as the dependent unmarried son or daughter and a member of the household of a person (A) honorably serving with the Armed Forces of the United States, or (B) employed by the United States Government or an international organization, to be included in order to satisfy the physical presence requirement, and permitted the proviso to be applicable to persons born on or after December 24, 1952.

Effective Date of 1986 Amendment Pub. L. 99–653, §23(d), as added by Pub. L. 100–525, §8(r), Oct. 24, 1988, 102 Stat. 2619 , provided that: "The amendment made by section 12 [amending this section] shall apply to persons born on or after November 14, 1986."

Effective Date of 1978 Amendment Pub. L. 95–432, §1, Oct. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 1046 , provided that the amendment made by section 1 is effective Oct. 10, 1978.

Effective Date Chapter effective 180 days after June 27, 1952, see section 407 of act June 27, 1952, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.

Waiver of Retention Requirements Pub. L. 103–416, title I, §101(b), Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4306 , provided that: "Any provision of law (including section 301(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1401(b)] (as in effect before October 10, 1978), and the provisos of section 201(g) of the Nationality Act of 1940 [former 8 U.S.C. 601(g)]) that provided for a person's loss of citizenship or nationality if the person failed to come to, or reside or be physically present in, the United States shall not apply in the case of a person claiming United States citizenship based on such person's descent from an individual described in section 301(h) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (as added by subsection (a))."

Retroactive Application of 1994 Amendment Pub. L. 103–416, title I, §101(c), Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4306 , provided that:

"(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the immigration and nationality laws of the United States shall be applied (to persons born before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 25, 1994]) as though the amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section], and subsection (b) [enacting provisions set out above], had been in effect as of the date of their birth, except that the retroactive application of the amendment and that subsection shall not affect the validity of citizenship of anyone who has obtained citizenship under section 1993 of the Revised Statutes [former 8 U.S.C. 6] (as in effect before the enactment of the Act of May 24, 1934 (48 Stat. 797)).

"(2) The retroactive application of the amendment made by subsection (a), and subsection (b), shall not confer citizenship on, or affect the validity of any denaturalization, deportation, or exclusion action against, any person who is or was excludable from the United States under section 212(a)(3)(E) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(E)) (or predecessor provision) or who was excluded from, or who would not have been eligible for admission to, the United States under the Displaced Persons Act of 1948 [former 50 U.S.C. App. 1951 et seq.] or under section 14 of the Refugee Relief Act of 1953 [former 50 U.S.C. App. 1971l]."

Applicability of Transmission Requirements Pub. L. 103–416, title I, §101(d), Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4306 , as amended by Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title VI, §671(b)(1), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–721 , provided that: "This section [amending this section and enacting provisions set out above], the amendments made by this section, and any retroactive application of such amendments shall not effect the application of any provision of law relating to residence or physical presence in the United States for purposes of transmitting United States citizenship to any person whose claim is based on the amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] or through whom such a claim is derived."

Admission of Alaska as State Alaska Statehood provisions as not conferring, terminating, or restoring United States nationality, see section 21 of Pub. L. 85–508, July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 339 , set out as a note preceding former section 21 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2016; birthright; citizenship; immigration
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To: KGeorge
I see what you’re saying, Sopater. If a non-citizen breaks the law, they are subject to prosecution under US law, BUT they do not have the same rights & protections that a US citizen has under US law.

That's my take on trying to understand the meaning of the wording in the 14th amendment. The words were carefully chosen based on their meaning and interpretation at the time that it was written.

1.      The Slaughterhouse Cases 83 U.S. 36 (1873) The Fourteenth Amendment excludes the children of aliens. “The phrase, "subject to its jurisdiction" was intended to exclude from its operation children of ministers, consuls, and citizens or subjects of foreign States born within the United States.

2.      Minor v. Happersett 88 U.S. 162 (1874) The Fourteenth Amendment draws a distinction between the children of aliens and children of citizens. “The Constitution does not in words say who shall be natural-born citizens. Resort must be had elsewhere to ascertain that. At common law, with the nomenclature of which the framers of the Constitution were familiar, it was never doubted that all children born in a country of parents who were its citizens became themselves, upon their birth, citizens also.

3.      Elk v. Wilkins 112 U.S. 94 (1884)  The phrase "subject to the jurisdiction" requires "direct and immediate allegiance" to the United States, not just physical presence. “This section contemplates two sources of citizenship, and two sources only: birth and naturalization. The persons declared to be citizens are "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof." The evident meaning of these last words is not merely subject in some respect or degree to the jurisdiction of the United States, but completely subject to their political jurisdiction and owing them direct and immediate allegiance. And the words relate to the time of birth in the one case, as they do to the time of naturalization in the other. Persons not thus subject to the jurisdiction of the United States at the time of birth cannot become so afterwards except by being naturalized, either individually, as by proceedings under the naturalization acts, or collectively, as by the force of a treaty by which foreign territory is acquired.

4.      Wong Kim Ark Case, 169 U.S. 649 (1898) Affirms that “natural born citizen,” is the child of an existing citizen. “The right of citizenship never descends in the legal sense, either by the common law or under the common naturalization acts. It is incident to birth in the country, or it is given personally by statute. The child of an alien, if born in the country, is as much a citizen as the natural born child of a citizen, and by operation of the same principle.

5.      Perkins v. Elg, 307 U. S. 325 (1939) In citing a long series of cases, involving minors removed from their US domicile by their foreign born parents, the Supreme Court distinguishes the difference of “a native born person” of two naturalized citizens can become President. This distinction of citizenship is not made to the others, only that their Jus soli citizenship is intact if at the age of majority they reclaim it.

Source: http://birthers.org/USC/14.html

21 posted on 08/18/2015 1:02:48 PM PDT by Sopater (Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? - Matthew 20:15a)
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To: Sacajaweau
I think the commission of any crime by an illegal alien results in getting deported....according to ICE.

That's what should happen.


I would think that to the victim of that crime, justice is not being served through this approach. However, the same could be said for the majority of sentences that are handed down today to legal citizens who commit crimes.
22 posted on 08/18/2015 1:04:56 PM PDT by Sopater (Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? - Matthew 20:15a)
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To: grania; longtermmemmory

The issue of “subject to the laws of the US” deals with persons who are immune to US law, such as those holding diplomatic immunity.

A child born here to a mother and father who both hold diplomatic positions here as representatives of a foreign power is not a US citizen.

It is not about those in the country illegally.


23 posted on 08/18/2015 1:08:20 PM PDT by Crystal Palace East (Are Crybaby Conservatives, calling everyone else RINOs, really Dems trying to get you to not vote?)
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To: Sopater
Wouldn't anyone who comes to this country and commits a crime against a U.S. citizen be subject to our laws regardless of whether or not they are subject to our jurisdiction?

Jurisdiction is a court's authority to apply and enforce the law. If you are not subject to their jurisdiction then you can't be tried in that court.

24 posted on 08/18/2015 1:11:52 PM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: DoodleDawg
Jurisdiction is a court's authority to apply and enforce the law. If you are not subject to their jurisdiction then you can't be tried in that court.

What determines whether or not a person subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S.? Where is that legally defined?
25 posted on 08/18/2015 1:27:45 PM PDT by Sopater (Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? - Matthew 20:15a)
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To: Sopater
What determines whether or not a person subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S.? Where is that legally defined?

If you are subject to our laws then by definition you are subject to our jurisdicition.

26 posted on 08/18/2015 1:38:19 PM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: DoodleDawg

Based on my interpretation of the wording of the 14th amendment, a person who is not “under the jurisdiction of the U.S.” is an “outlaw”.

According to Webster 1828:

OUT’LAW, noun A person excluded from the benefit of the law, or deprived of its protection. Formerly any person might kill an outlaw; but it is now held unlawful for any person to put to death an outlaw except the sheriff, who has a warrant for that purpose.

OUT’LAW, verb transitive To deprive of the benefit and protection of law; to proscribe.


27 posted on 08/18/2015 1:48:48 PM PDT by Sopater (Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? - Matthew 20:15a)
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To: Sopater

This is excellent. I’m going to have to get DH to explain some of this so I can make sure I understand it. (not a legal guy, but insurance- so he can usually decipher it)


28 posted on 08/18/2015 1:52:25 PM PDT by KGeorge
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To: Tennessee Nana
CONSTITUTION DOESN’T MANDATE BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP
29 posted on 08/18/2015 3:28:31 PM PDT by opentalk
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To: opentalk

Yes I know that kid..


30 posted on 08/18/2015 3:40:04 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: longtermmemmory
The law can be used to DEFINE the types of jurisdiction.

Yawn. Congress has had this power since the beginning. Tell me the last time it was used. Hint: not in this century.

31 posted on 08/19/2015 7:43:21 AM PDT by backwoods-engineer (AMERICA IS DONE! When can we start over?)
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To: longtermmemmory

nothing there in prohibited the immediate deportation of the mother of an anchor baby who got knocked up and subsequently gave birth in the United States Of America intending to thereby assure her own usa domicile

deportation of mothers resolves the issue legally and instantly


32 posted on 08/19/2015 7:49:19 AM PDT by bert ((K.E.; N.P.; GOPc.;+12, 73, .. Iran deal & holocaust: Obama's batting clean up for Adolph Hitler)
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To: bert

correct


33 posted on 08/19/2015 10:57:02 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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