scooterbug44
SoWal Expert
Legislators is many states are introducing proposals to change or "clarify" the 14th Amendment.
Arizona is introducing a bill where you can only get birthright citizenship if one of your parents is an American citizen, or is a legal immigrant to the US.
In strict theory I don't have a problem with this. (Ignoring the possible racism and political motivations).
But how do you enforce it? How do you prove it? Frankly, after the whole "birther" cluster I don't have a lot of faith in the idea that someone born in the US can easily prove they were born in the US - even with the paperwork.
The 14th Amendment is a great thing - born here, you're a citizen. No major paperwork hassles, no genealogy requirements, you're a citizen.
Enforcement aside, this proposal doesn't really solve the supposed problem.
Most of the babies born and getting "birthright citizenship" would also be eligible under this new proposal because typically one parent is a legal immigrant or the mother is here on a valid visa.
Most of the illegal women who give birth here have lived in the US for at least a year (ignore the rhetoric that depicts pregnant women waddling across the border to shoot out an anchor baby on the taxpayer's dime) OR they are wealthy women who have visas and come for the superior medical care.
So then the question becomes - why these proposals?
Arizona legislators consider birthright citizenship bill - CNN.com
Arizona is introducing a bill where you can only get birthright citizenship if one of your parents is an American citizen, or is a legal immigrant to the US.
In strict theory I don't have a problem with this. (Ignoring the possible racism and political motivations).
But how do you enforce it? How do you prove it? Frankly, after the whole "birther" cluster I don't have a lot of faith in the idea that someone born in the US can easily prove they were born in the US - even with the paperwork.
The 14th Amendment is a great thing - born here, you're a citizen. No major paperwork hassles, no genealogy requirements, you're a citizen.
Enforcement aside, this proposal doesn't really solve the supposed problem.
Most of the babies born and getting "birthright citizenship" would also be eligible under this new proposal because typically one parent is a legal immigrant or the mother is here on a valid visa.
Most of the illegal women who give birth here have lived in the US for at least a year (ignore the rhetoric that depicts pregnant women waddling across the border to shoot out an anchor baby on the taxpayer's dime) OR they are wealthy women who have visas and come for the superior medical care.
So then the question becomes - why these proposals?
Arizona legislators consider birthright citizenship bill - CNN.com
