But he was a foreigner.
the words "foreigner" and alien" are not subordinate to the following clause.
and those words do not modify.
In Elk, they ruled that birthright citizenship was only confered upon those that fell completely within the jurisdiction of the United States, and owing it "direct and immediate allegiance".
The Wong decision simply ignored the rulings laid down in the Elk and even Slaughterhouse decisions.
The honorable Senator from Michigan has given this subject, I have no doubt, a good deal of his attention, and I am really desirous to have a legal definition of "citizenship of the United States." What does it mean? What is its length and breadth? I would be glad if the honorable Senator in good earnest would favor us with some such definition. Is the child of the Chinese immigrant in California a citizen? Is the child of a Gypsy born in Pennsylvania a citizen?
The proposition before us, I will say, Mr. President, relates simply in that respect to the children begotten of Chinese parents in California, and it is proposed to declare that they shall be citizens. We have declared that by law; now it is proposed to incorporate the same provision in the fundamental instrument of the nation. I am in favor of doing so. I voted for the proposition to declare that the children of all parentage whatever, born in California, should be regarded and treated as citizens of the United States...