Thread: 'One nation -- except for you' by Hector Villagra

'One nation -- except for you'

The 14th Amendment has never been interpreted to apply to some and exclude others, until now
By Hector Villagra
01/20/2011

This month a small group of conservative lawmakers announced they had set their eyes on the 14th Amendment as the latest target in the war over immigration reform.

Such an attack marks an unprecedented move by elected officials to dismantle the Constitution.

Under the proposal unveiled two weeks ago at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, lawmakers would essentially create a two-tier system of citizenship. State legislators would move to adopt rules allowing them to exclude those born in the US to undocumented immigrant parents. Such laws would immediately come into conflict with the constitutional provision that bestows citizenship to any child born in this country.

Backers hope the conflict between the state and federal government will wind up in federal court.

Adopted in the wake of the Civil War, the 14th Amendment granted citizenship to black slaves who were long denied such rights. Its broader interpretation was reaffirmed in 1898, when the US Supreme Court ruled that the US-born child of Chinese immigrants was a citizen of this country. At the time, Chinese immigrants were excluded from naturalizing and their US-born children faced being rendered stateless.

Since then, the 14th Amendment has been rightfully understood to bestow citizenship to any person born in the US. It has never been interpreted to apply to some and exclude others.

Sadly, the current push to make such a distinction reminds us that immigration has long divided our nation, particularly during difficult economic times.

The current backers of the proposal are simply introducing another painful chapter in that long and troubled history that has targeted Italian, German, Irish, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Arab, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim and other newcomers.
Californians are all too familiar with such poorly thought out initiatives.

In 1994, undocumented immigrants were blamed for the Golden State’s economic woes.

Republican leaders unveiled Proposition 187. Known as the Save our State ballot initiative, it sought to bar undocumented immigrants from receiving educational, medical and other social services. Proponents argued such punitive steps would push undocumented immigrants to return home and help restore jobs and wages in California.

Voters passed the measure. A federal judge tossed out key parts of the plan. Ultimately, efforts to revive Proposition 187 were abandoned in 1999, after a lengthy and expensive legal battle.

Like Proposition 187, those who attack the 14th Amendment blame undocumented immigrants and their so-called “anchor babiesâ€

Wow, sure seems as though there has been a lot of propaganda with this issue all of sudden. Must be desperate.

Hector Villagra is the incoming executive director of the ACLU of Southern California.

What a sad joke.

But perhaps most importantly, it won’t fix the nation’s broken immigration system that has left millions living in the shadows.

The only thing broken about our immigration system is that it's not enforced.

BTW, one nation under God is from the Pledge of Allegiance. I really doubt many illegals stand with their hands over their hearts pledging allegiance to our country, so why lay claim to those words.

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Few things stand out.

1. Can't pledge allegiance by your first act breaking the law.
2. Can't support our republic which was built on the rule of law by your first action breaking the law.
3. One Nation under God.... not One World under God..
4. Indivisible means not dividable... well they are working on dividing the country.
5. Justice for all.... speaking for justice for all AMERICANS. Justice goes hand in hand with the law. Break the law your creating injustice for everyone else who deserves the rule of law be upheld to ensure every American is treated fairly through justice.

Well Obama doesn't salute the flag also. Fact is the latinos refuse to accept what illegal means. They broke the law coming here. They came here and had their kid here and expect that they are then legal because of it. NO WAY! Take the wife and kid and go back from where you came. Take your ACLU along with you while your at it.

Attacking the 14th Amendment won’t help families who are struggling to stave off foreclosures and keep a roof over their heads.

Of course it will, we won't have to have more $$$ taken out of our pay to subsidize the anchors and their illegal alien parents.

Since then, the 14th Amendment has been rightfully understood to bestow citizenship to any person born in the US. It has never been interpreted to apply to some and exclude others.

Read it again, it certainly does exclude others.

And it won’t prevent families for whom terms like legal and illegal are blurred by blood ties from being torn apart.

Too bad, so sad. A criminal is a criminal. Just because I'm hungry doesn't give me the right to steal your food. The end does not justify the means!

It won’t keep immigrants from risking their lives to come to the US in search of work to help feed families back home.

There's no work, we want you to go home to your family. In the case of mexico, unemployment is under 5%, so don't tell me they come here to "work". Work does not having as many anchor babies til you hit the jackpot, that's not work. Oh wait, these babies are jackpots, for each of them gets welfare, free schooling, free medical, WIC, etc. Of course, the whole family lives off this $$$.

But perhaps most importantly, it won’t fix the nation’s broken immigration system that has left millions living in the shadows.

Our immigration policies did not leave millions in the shadows. These millions put themselves in the shadows. Criminals hide in the shadows. No need for them to live in the shadows, go home, be free.

Our immigration system is broken only as far as enforcement is concerned, so let's start enforcing it. NO AMNESTY!

We need to light up the country and eliminate the shaddows the illegals are hiding in. Once the spotlight is on them arrest them an deport them and their kids back over the border. When they protest in the streets...do sweeps for ID. When they protest at schools...Check every one of them for documentation. When they go to a clinic or hospital..requir that they provide documentation and if none then out they go ..no treatment. Stop all the social services going to illegals. NO fedral funding of those services or schools who shelter illegals. 14th ammendment is not all that confusing. Its the illegals what are putting up the smokescreen over it. NO ANCHORS, NO AMNISTY, NO DREAM ACTS!!!!

I see, so amending the Constition is to "dismantle" it? I guess it has been "dismantled" over and over then since we have had so many amendments to it in the past. Where is the pro-illegals outrage over all the other amendments made to it in the past?

The latino community is not concerned with the other ammendments since they know that there is no free handouts being given through them. There is a posted article in the HispanicallySpeakingNews.com site where it complains that the American Government gave restitution and money to the Native Americans and the Blacks but the Latino community got Nada. What do they deserve anything for in the first place? All they want is free free free. They feel the world owes them everything and their press encourages that. I dissagreed witht hem and since have been banned from posts because I voiced that they need to learn English and need to know illegal is illegal and that it pertains to them as well. Unless it favors their side, condones illegal activities and gives them free education free handouts and all the power in government, they will not accept posts or opinions to the contrary.