Posted on 10/19/2010 12:30:31 PM PDT by Justaham
Lawmakers in at least 14 states are collaborating on proposed legislation to deny U.S. citizenship to children of illegal immigrants, according to lawmakers, including the sponsor of Arizona's 2010 law targeting illegal immigration.
"We're taking a leadership role on things that need to be fixed in America. We can't get Congress to do it," Republican state Sen. Russell Pearce, of Mesa, said Tuesday. "It's a national work group so that we have model legislation that we know will be successful, that meets the constitutional criteria."
The efforts by the state legislators come amid calls to change the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment, which grants automatic citizenship to U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants. Supporters cite costs to taxpayers for services provided to illegal immigrants and their children.
Pennsylvania state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, the founder of a national group of legislators critical of illegal immigration, said the 14th Amendment "greatly incentives foreign invaders to violate our border and our laws." He had a news conference Tuesday in Harrisburg, Pa., on the multistate endeavor.
The effort could run afoul of the language in the 14th Amendment and lead to a court battle over the constitutionality of the law. But Metcalfe said providing birthright citizenship to children of illegal immigrants is an "ongoing distortion and twisting" of the amendment.
Metcalfe's office said lawmakers in at least 12 other states besides Arizona and Pennsylvania said they were making their own announcements about working on the citizenship legislation. Those other states: Alabama, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. Legislators from a total of 41 states are involved in a Metcalfe-founded group concerned with immigration issues.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
‘Bout time
What are they talking about? US Citizenship comes from the US. The most they could try to do is deny issuing ‘proof’ of birth.
I'll believe it when it's been passed into law for the entire nation.
Take not that California is never involved in things like this. The state legislature doesn’t have the cajones to get involved.
No birthright citizenship for aliens. No federal involvement in insurance, medical care, education, marriage, etc. Vast restrictions on appellate jurisdiction of federal court system. Term limits for federal judges based on confirmation elections (which would be a lot of fun wouldn't it, bwahahahaha).
That's just off the top of my head. No doubt others have their favorites.
...which will be promptly overruled by Judge (fill in the blank) of the (fill in the blank) Circuit Court.
Why does there need to be a constitutional amendment?
Section 5 of the 14th Amendment:
Section. 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
By the way, has anybody looked at Section 3?
Section. 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
It seems to me that most liberals in Congress should have been disqualified for office by their treasonous activities.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, for example.
Suppose someone was born in the U.S. and lived here his whole life. Do you really want to deport him because his parents are illegal? Punishing children for the sins of their parents makes me uncomfortable. I don’t think there should be automatic citizenship for someone born in the U.S. to illegals, but I do think there ought to be a path to citizenship for people who were born here, obey the law, and are not a drain on society.
Actually, it doesn't. It has been misinterpreted for decades.
Read the Constitution throughly and very carefully by keeping in mind that setting a rule for something does not make the federal government necessarily the author of individual citizenship.
You forgot at the end ". . . who was appointed by Clinton/Carter/Obama"
It's my guess that they are working on US law, not state law. The article is not clear.
So the illegals cross the boarder and have their kids under your 'legislation'. Do you keep the kids in the US as a drain on our society and kick the parents out or what?
Dittos.
Frankly, the fantasy that the Constitution somehow makes citizens out of transient criminal offspring needs to be dispelled by whatever means necessary.
We can’t support these people anymore. This isn’t about someone like that, but that there are children being used as anchors for the rest of a family of practically twenty. The problem is that the child isn’t the drain, but the key to fat checks and benefits.
That is not under discussion here. Focus on the issue - Should that child be considered a US citizen?
Many foreign children are born here and live here legally many years, but are not automatically citizens, for example, children of diplomats, entertainers (William Shatner, Michael Fox, Richard Burton), athletes (the entire NHL), etc.
And suppose that just before he is born, his parent rob a bank for millions of dollars. He grows up in wealth and style. Should he be "punished" by the loss of his lavish lifestyle when when his parents are finally caught and the money is recovered?
The problem is that the parents can't be deported because it would separate the family and he must be provided with government benefits because he is a citizen. Fix those problems and I have no problem with making him a citizen at 18 or 21.
“We can’t get Congress to do it,” “
Waiting for Congress was a huge mistake. We were stupid to let them run things to such an extent for us without realizing taht they would of course abuse it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.