Democrats defend 14th Amendment in Utah immigration debate
Aaron Vaughn, Web Content Producer FOX 13 News
4:06 PM MDT, September 3, 2010

SALT LAKE CITY - Utah Democrats rallied against a plan to repeal the 14th Amendment, whose proponents say has been abused by undocumented immigrants to claim birthright citizenship for their children. Utah Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, who is spearheading the repeal proposal, says that the state pays too much in benefits to those children whose families enter the U.S. illegally. On Friday a mix of activists, parents, clergy, professors and lawmakers gathered and expressed concerns regarding the children.

"Putting children in a state of stateless limbo, there is concern with that. I mean how logistically would that play out and what would that do to an individual," says Rep. Chavez-Houck, D-Salt Lake City. "It [14th Amendment] serves a broader purpose that we just have got to be careful not to remove," says Chavez-Houck.

Ray sees himself as a moderate on the issue. As an example, he says he will not use the term "anchor babies" when suggesting that undocumented families are having children on U.S. soil to gain a foothold into the country.

"I don't believe that's what's happening to be honest with you. I believe these are people who come here for a better way of life," says Ray.

Democrats call it political posturing. They say illegal immigrants pay taxes too, and the state costs that Ray uses in his arguments does not account for that.

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