Conservatives look at ending birthright citizenship for immigrants

[Thom Little]

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 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, and 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 citizenship to those children.

"They see 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," said Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., a leading opponent of illegal immigration. He cited "surprising" momentum behind the plan. A House bill to make the policy change has 77 co-sponsors.

.......

"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. "It just goes counter to what we are as a people, and I think it does great harm."


http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/13352283.htm

[DRoseDARs]

1. These proponents better have their papers ready...

Not a single white-skinned person in this hemisphere belongs here by their logic, myself included.

[RagingInMiami]

2. I'm sure they'll make an exception if you're born to European

or Canadian immigrants.

[DRoseDARs]

3. ...but not those ragamuffin Australians.

:P

[RagingInMiami]

4. Most Americans can't tell an Aussie accent from an English accent

[DRoseDARs]

6. I can: An Australian's accent is more grating. The English simply...

...chew on the language and spit it out unintelligably.


/joke :P

[formercia]

25. or a Kiwi

[classysassy]

22. And the beat goes on.

Greed,racism and stupidity is the most pressing problem in America today,people like Tancredo are greedy,racist, and stupid and his followers continue to vote for his ilk.

[classysassy]

24. Greed,racism,stupidity

should say are the most pressing problems.

[China_cat]

5. You're going to have a child so you can wait 18 years

to bring in the rest of your family?

They say patience is a virtue, but isn't that stretching it just a tad?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

7. Yes.

It's a bunch of bullshit. Pandering. Grandstanding. Ooh boy, these guys are in trouble if this is all they've got left to pull out of their collective rectu... err... hat.

[hang a left]

9. Yep

Throwing out some red meat.

[EFerrari]

8. I'd love to see where these fakes' families are from. n/t

[Spinzonner]

10. Meanwhile, in the West and SOuthwest

farmers can't get enough pickers to bring in their whole crops and have to leave some to rot in the fields.

They attribute it to more attractive jobs in construction and tightening of the border and by enforcement against illegals.

[saigon68]

11. Keep the Darkies out

Delay and his minions have this marching cry

They feel it in their hearts

They hate black men especially because in the minds--black men SLEEP with white women.

And delay and his thugs WHIP UP their base with these suggestions.

[shugah]

12. the thing they never tell anyone about immigration

it is not easy to move to america. most of the country believes that any american citizen can bring a family from anywhere to live here. most people believe that if you marry an ameircan citzen you have a right to live here...

it costs money to file any forms with INS - and trust me, there are tons of forms, you have to prove that you can support any person you sponsor - and there are monetary guidelines (poor people are not bringing family over in droves), being granted citiizenship or even permanent residency can take years, INS makes most of the process as confusing as possible and no one will ever give you all the information you need at one time.

oh! the tales i could tell!

INS can already deny citizenship or entry to the country for any myriad of reasons. it is also difficult and time consuming to get initial approval to enter the country on a visa. there are quotas in place for the number of people that can come into the US from various countries...

this idea that people are having kids in the US so they can move their entire families here in several years strikes me as false. i think many women from poorer countires might try to give birth here due to better health care.

[formercia]

13. I agree

My brother-in-law recently married a nice lady from Canada. You cannot believe the hell they went through with the paperwork to get a residency visa for her. She is highly skilled and an asset to the community, but no, that's not good enough for INS. It's no wonder people come here illegaly.

[shugah]

14. oh yes i can believe it!

in fact, i'd go so far as to say that no story about INS could surprise me! ;-)

[cosmicone]

20. She is lucky she is a canadian

You may not believe this but the quotas in place favor "white countries" -- i.e. Europe, Canada, Australia. If one were to marry someone from non-white countries it takes as long as 5 years to get a permanent resident status.

[formercia]

23. Unless you're a government "asset"

and when your country gets overrun, they pack you, your family and all the contraband you can carry, pack you on a C-130 and settle you somewhere in Middle America.

[colinmom71]

15. Looks like we have the gay marriage-esque non-issue for 2006!

Not to convey that I don't support gay marriage equality, because I do. But this immigration bill looks to be the trendy topic du jour to be used to avoid the real issues voters should be concerned about in 2006, much like how the topic of gay marriage equality was used in 2004. The new Republican credo - When all else fails to meet muster, bring up bigotry issues and don't forget to swath them in an American flag! "Morans" will vote for it like mad...

Are they even bothering to make a distinct designation between the children of those immigrating to the country legally and those who are here illegally? Because Rep. Tancredo's rhetoric in the article surely doesn't sound like he even cares about the distinction... And even if so, since when do we penalize the child for the actions of the parent(s)? It's just plain wrong!

But then I keep forgetting, I'm a Democratic voter. What do *I* know about morality? :sarcasm:

[Walt Starr]

16. Too bad for them, it takes a Constitutional Amendment

Amendment XIV

1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Of course, this was the amendment that extended the protection of rights of citizens to all levels of government instead of just to the federal government, thus prohibiting the establishment of religion on a state level. So this is really a ruse to give an excuse for repealing the 14th Amendment.

[BATF666]

17. The true Immigrant

Theodore Roosevelt's ideas on Immigrants and being an
AMERICAN in 1907:

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant
who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to
us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is
an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or
birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in
every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no
divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something
else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the
American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the
English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a
loyalty to the American people."


Theodore Roosevelt 1907


I am still trying to figure out where things went wrong.

[Bridget Burke]

19. A agree with much of TR's thinking....

He was right about conservation & leashing the robber barons. But this little gem is unworthy of him. Gosh, it does show up on lots of odd sites!

He was speaking out against dual citizenship, which I do not see as a problem. Quite a few legal immigrants don't speak English well--some of them even become citizens. The next generations generally learn--if the schools are not shortchanged.

And quite a few flags are flown here in Houston. Of course, the red, white & blue takes pride of place! (That's the Lone Star, son!)

Welcome to DU.

[northzax]

26. can you define 'American' for me?

you know, the one that we want immigrants to become? What exactly defines the term? In your opinion, what do immigrants have to do to become 'American'? simply learn English? eat burgers and fries? watch football and eat hot dogs? become Protestant?
I'm multi-lingual, and non-christian, am I an 'American'? yes, I grew up overseas, coming to the US in my teens, am I an American? I spoke Italian before I spoke English, am I an American? I am, in essence, an immigrant, since I didn't grow up in the US. am I 'American' enough for you?

What if I then told you that I can trace my mother's side direct to the Mayflower, I am a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, which comes through the father's line. is that 'American' enough for you?

what a silly quote.

[pinniped]

28. Not a big fan of the BATF, eh?

They are here to protect you.

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[punpirate]

18. Umm, I think Charlie Gonzalez of Texas...

... knows full well what's making conservatives "come up with those ideas." :)

If the rich white people aren't the majority any longer, it's harder for them to exploit the brown folks for power and profit, at least in a nominal democracy.

[cosmicone]

21. You hit the nail right on the head

It is all about white males maintaining power and control.

[David__77]

27. This change will not happen.

There are enough states that are not imbued with racism to the extreme. I am glad that this provision exists--immigration is changing the country for the better.

[Jed Dilligan]

29. I'm impressed illegal immigrants can plan 18 years ahead

I sure as fuck don't.

[Bridget Burke]

30. And they're sure their kids will have really good jobs at 18.

Those immigration lawyers are expensive.

You DON'T just tell La Migra to mail enough green cards for your relatives.

[Triana]

31. EXCELLENT!

These 'anchor babies' ought not to be allowed to be citizens if their parents are here illegally. This is one big reason this has become the United States of Mexico, besides the fact that no one is doing anything to improve the economy in Mexico so residents will want to stay there instead of jumping over the fence (and risking life and limb to do so and when they get here, injured, we have to pay their medical expenses...) :sarcasm:

_ _ _ _ _

This won't pass so don't worry. Too many Repubes want those cheap Mexicans here to keep corprat profits up and to drive labor costs and wages down. And if Chico and family votes Republican, well there's another bennie of having them all here!