http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_3288509

Article Launched: 12/08/2005 01:00:00 AM

Tancredo: Illegal immigrants' babies shouldn't be citizens
The Colorado Republican supports a measure that may be added to an immigration bill that would challenge the birthright assured by the 14th Amendment.

By Jim Puzzanghera
Knight-Ridder Newspapers

Washington - It's been a cornerstone of American law since shortly after the Civil War: Children born in the United States become citizens, even if their parents are here illegally.

Now some conservatives - including U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado - are taking aim at that birthright.

They call the U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants "anchor babies" because at age 18 the children can apply to bring other family members here from abroad.

A growing group of House Republicans wants to change the policy. They hope to add a provision to the immigration bill that the House of Representatives will consider next week that would deny automatic citizenship to those children.

"It cheapens the whole concept of citizenship," said Tancredo, R-Littleton. "People are coming here simply for the purpose of having a child here and then, because they're the anchor, they can have all the family come in on that child's ticket. ... There are thousands upon thousands of people who are doing it," he said.

He cited "surprising" momentum behind the plan. A House bill to make the policy change has 77 co-sponsors.

Tancredo wrote Monday to House Majority Leader Roy Blunt, asking for an end to the automatic-citizenship right among dozens of other amendments to legislation on immigrants.

Because of widespread opposition in the House and even more in the Senate, the measure is unlikely to become law, and would face a constitutional challenge in court if it did.

But it promises to make the debate over illegal immigration even more divisive and could reverberate in next year's midterm elections.

"To change the way we establish citizenship is such an extreme measure, and it makes you really question what is motivating people to come up with those ideas," said Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, D-Texas, whose grandparents emigrated from Mexico.

According to the Constitution's 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868 to give former slaves U.S. citizenship, "all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."

Tancredo said citizens of other countries are not subject to U.S. jurisdiction, and he added that drafters of the 14th Amendment did not intend it to apply to children of illegal immigrants.