Citizenship by Birthright

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Citizenship by Birthright According to the Council on Foreign Relations, birthright citizenship “grants citizenship to everyone born in the United States regardless of their parents' status” (Rawlins, 2011). While this seems to be in-line with the fourteenth amendment which states “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” (Congress, 1866), the true intention of this part of the constitution is hotly debated, particularly in light of the current economic downfall in the United States. With that said it may behoove constituents to look into the real costs versus benefits of birthright citizenship and what effect this is having on the country as a whole. There are many political figures who believe the intention of the fourteenth amendment did not include granting automatic American citizenship to those born of illegal immigrants. One such advocate is Senator Lindsey Graham, a representative from the state of South Carolina. In summation, Mr. Graham believes the United States made “a mistake” in granting said citizenship and that the birthright practice only serves to encourage illegal immigration (Preston, 2010). This senator is one of many who believe illegal immigrants are not under jurisdiction of the United States, as outlined in the fourteenth amendment. Furthermore, he shares a belief immigrants cross United States borders with the intention of having children on American soil, in order to solidify their ability to reside illegally without going through the legal process of citizenship. For example, once an illegal immigrant has a child in the United States, the child becomes a citizen and, aft... ... middle of paper ... ...320birthright-citizenship-illegal-immigration.html OpenCongress. (2011). H.R.140 – Birthright Citizenship Act. Retrieved from http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h140/show Preston, Julia. (2010, Aug 6). Citizenship from Birth is Challenged on the Right. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/07/us/politics/07fourteenth.html Rawlins, Aimee. (2011, Jan 26). The Birthright Citizenship Debate. Retrieved from http://www.cfr.org/immigration/birthright-citizenship-debate/p23900 U.S Census Bureau. (2011, Sep 13). Poverty. Highlights. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/about/overview/index.html Waddington, Linda. (2011, Apr 20). Poll: Americans favor Steve King’s proposal to end birthright citizenship. Retrieved from http://www.americanindependent.com/180000/poll-americans-favor-steve-king%e2%80%99s-proposal-to-end-birthright-citizenship

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