Birth Tourism Essay

557 Words2 Pages

Birth tourism is a fairly new, and growing, trend. Parents from all over the world are coming to America to have their children. Why would so many parents from different cultures all flock to the same country to have their children, you might ask? Well, the answer is quite simple: America is considered to have many great opportunities and most importantly, America has the right to birthright citizenship. The Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution, commonly known as the Citizenship Clause, states that “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.” With the way that this amendment has been interpreted and as it currently …show more content…

I believe that the current interpretation does encourage more illegal immigration. I also believe that increasing illegal immigration has a negative impact on our economy. Illegal immigrants often get paid “under the table” and therefore do not have to claim wages and can avoid paying taxes on said earnings. Illegal immigrants are often willing to work for lower wages and this contributes to the unemployment rates among American citizens. I do believe that immigration and diversity is a good thing for America as a whole, but it is also my opinion that the current practice of birth tourism is taking advantage of the Citizenship Clause. For these reasons, I believe that the Fourteenth Amendment should be reinterpreted to require one parent to be an American citizen. This does not mean they can’t be immigrants but that I believe they should take the steps to become an American citizen themselves in order for their child to be able to enjoy the same title. Part of the reason birth tourism, and immigration in general, is popular in America is because America does have great opportunities that might not be available in immigrants’ native countries. If immigrants want to establish a life in America to have access to these opportunites, I believe they have just as much right as anyone else to become an American citizen and reap the benefits. I do not believe American citizenship

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