[RockyMtnMan]

I still question the logic that because you were born here, from an illegal, you are a citizen. I don't think the constitution grants that power to illegals since the constitution applies to citizens.

[Consort]

I don't think the constitution grants that power to illegals since the constitution applies to citizens.

I don't think that's correct. But maybe it should apply only to legal non-citizens. An amendment will take years to pass.

[vikingcelt]

"I still question the logic that because you were born here, from an illegal, you are a citizen. I don't think the constitution grants that power to illegals since the constitution applies to citizens."

I don't think it grants that power either but if a lie gets told over and over and over again, it becomes the truth...supposedly.

[El Conservador]

That's a legal principle called ius soli: If you are born in a certain country, you're a citizen of that country, regardless of your parents' nationality and immigration status.

There's a corresponding principle called ius sanguinis: If you are born from parents of a certain country, you're a citizen of that country, regardless of yor place of birth.

The United States applies ius soli for individuals born within the 50 states and outlying territories, and ius sanguinis for indivuduals born abroad of American parents.

There's some countries where both ius soli and sanguinis have to be met when born within the territory of such country; the only one that comes to the top of my head is the Czech Republic: to be a Czech citizen, the person must've been born within Czech territory of Czech parents.

In my country of birth, Colombia, ius soli applies, but not ius sanguinis: If a Colombian couple has a child in New York, for example, that child won't be a Colombian citizen unless his/her parents move back to Colombia with the child before his/her 18th birthday.

To change the fact that aggravates you, Congress could pass a law stating that ius soli will only apply for American citizens and legal permanent immigrants.

But in doing so, a child could be born of illegal immigrant parents from a country which doesn't recognize ius sanguinis, rendering that child stateless, which could be a bit of a problem.

I could explain this deeper, but this is as far as my knowledge allows me.