Thread: Birth rules degrade U.S. immigration

http://www.themountainmail.com/main.asp ... cleID=7180

Monday, January 30, 2006

Birth rules degrade U.S. immigration
Guest Opinion

by Rep. Tom Tancredo

Monday, January 30, 2006


After years of lip service and outright neglect, immigration reform is finally front and center on Washington’s agenda.

The issue has such resonance it seems every congressman has introduced a bill on the subject. At least in the House, a consensus is emerging to secure our borders, increase worksite enforcement and, now, revoke birthright citizenship.

Currently, the U.S. grants citizenship automatically to every person born in our country, except children of foreign diplomats. That includes legal permanent residents, temporary visitors, nonimmigrants and illegal aliens.

Obviously this creates a tremendous incentive to rush into the country to birth children. We’ve seen the millions who risk their lives and spend their savings for the chance to work in this country, let alone gain citizenship. And for those in line for American citizenship, the wait can be as long as 18 years.

Once an alien crosses our borders and gives birth to a child, her entire family gets to cut in line. This is because our immigration laws give an automatic path to citizenship to family members of citizens. Having a so-called anchor baby in the U.S. gives foreign families a direct shot at citizenship they would not otherwise have.

But the United States is not just a geographical entity, and American citizenship was never meant to simply be a marker of one’s location of birth. We are a nation of ideas as well as land – we have a proud history, common standards and shared values of individuality and freedom.

The Left’s obsession with multiculturalism has done enough to crack America’s melting pot. Children are taught that our country and our values are no better than others. New immigrants are discouraged from assimilating; they’re told to keep their linguistic, cultural and political ties to the countries from which they came. We have gone a long way toward emptying American citizenship of any meaning.

There is much the federal government should do to restore the meaning of citizenship, and the solution should include our elementary schools and citizenship classes. But one important step in the right direction is to revoke nonsensical birthright citizenship.

Contrary to some legal pundits, the 14th Amendment does not mandate automatic citizenship for persons born on U.S. soil. The Constitution’s operative language is, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the Unites States… .â€

Birthright citizenship for anchor babies is also discrimination based on national origin. 90% of those who benefit are Hispanic, yet Hispanics are only 7% of the world's population.

Ending birthright citizenship would stop this discrimination against non-Hispanics.

Tom Tancredo for President!