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To: CitizenUSA
. Has the SCOTUS ever provided a precise “natural born citizen” definition that specifically requires both parents to be citizens? I don’t know of one.

Yes they have, but only in dicta. For it not to be dicta, Natural Born citizenship would need to be a factor in the case. That can only happen with respect to eligibility for the office of President. For all other offices and purposes, citizenship is what is required, plus in some cases residency in the US, such as for US representative and Senator. But only eligibility for the Office of President (and VP) require one to be a Natural Born citizen.

For example, MINOR v. HAPPERSETT, 88 U.S. 162 (1874), 88 U.S. 162 (Wall.)

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. These were natives, or natural-born citizens, as distinguished from aliens or foreigners. Some authorities go further and include as citizens children born within the jurisdiction without reference to the citizenship of their parents

Note, the second "class" is "citizens, while the first class, all children born in a country of parents who were its citizens, are "natives, or natural-born citizens".

BTW, this tracks with Vattel's "Law of Nations" definition (using the French "naturels" , and with the early practice of equating the terms "natives" and "natural born" in contrast to the modern usage of "native-born", meaning born in the country. A change of usage that The One takes advantage of, by referring to himself, or having his minions describe him, as "native born", which he might be.

99 posted on 04/21/2010 9:58:39 PM PDT by El Gato ("The second amendment is the reset button of the US constitution"-Doug McKay)
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To: El Gato

When you look at that definition, the Supreme Court is giving us something for which there’s no doubt. They acknowledge that others believe the parents’ citizenship doesn’t matter, but rather than entertain this notion, they simply stick by the definition for which there’s no doubt. This is significant since this is in the face of an extremely liberal Constitutional amendment that declares citizenship at birth regardless of parental citizenship. In the end, the Constitution (and 14th amendment), we are told, does not define natural born citizen and there is only one definite definition: to be born in the country to citizens.


101 posted on 04/21/2010 10:07:50 PM PDT by edge919
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