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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsGOP Field Wants To Repeal The 14th Amendment to end the scourge of "anchor babies"
In the fall of 2010, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), one of the most hawkish anti-immigrant voices in Congress, launched a legislative campaign to end the scourge of "anchor babies," as he called them.
The target was the 14th Amendment, which grants everyone born in the United States of America the right of citizenship. The Iowa Republican saw something more nefarious: a scheme by those outside the country (Hispanics, specifically) to get a foothold in the country by coming here and having a child. And so he debuted a bill to end birthright citizenship, which he has continued to introduce in subsequent sessions.
It was highly controversial then and remains so. The latest version, introduced in the 114th Congress, has just 27 co-sponsors.
But the push does have support in the high ranks of the Republican Party. And if this week is any indication, it may be on the path toward becoming a part of the GOP's immigration platform.
On Sunday, business mogul Donald Trump came out in support of ending birthright citizenship -- and on Monday, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker joined him.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/a-good-chunk-of-gop-field-wants-to-repeal-the-14th-amendment_55d24915e4b055a6dab12015
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)I seem to recall reading that only 30 out of 194 countries in the world do the birthright citizenship thing, and most of the rest are piddling little places. And after also reading that affluent Chinese mothers pay like $50k to take 'vacations' and just coincidentally give birth in the States, it seems more like a law that's being perverted in spirit, especially since it was created to address a different issue entirely that no longer exists.
So I wouldn't lose any sleep if that one went away, and citizenship only came through parents who were citizens or legal naturalization.
customerserviceguy
(25,183 posts)It doesn't matter if we have immigration reform or not, as long as there are magnets of this sort, you will always have illegal immigrants coming over the border.
kaiden
(1,314 posts)If we rescind the 14th Amendment, then we rescind equal rights for African Americans and the LGBT. Just a head's up here.
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)They could simply do a new amendment nixing just the birthright citizenship going forward.
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)Funny how the RW and their sympathizers always want amendments to LIMIT rights instead of INCREASING them.
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)And on to ignore with you.
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)If you agree with RW BS then you sympathize with it.
melm00se
(4,993 posts)gratuitous
(82,849 posts)But in all the bloviating from the Republican candidates about amending the Constitution, do any of them make that finely nuanced point? Without checking, I'm going to put my marker down on "no." Which indicates to me that they would like to do away with the 14th Amendment in its entirety, which isn't going to happen anyway, but it makes for a neat talking point for voters who don't understand how difficult it is to amend the Constitution, but who are really angry about anchor babies even if they don't know why.
JustAnotherGen
(31,828 posts)I trust them as much as I would trust a Brit on the open seas with a 13 Colonies born American sailor in 1810. I.E. Not at all.
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)And after this election, I expect them to have fewer seats in both chambers.
alcibiades_mystery
(36,437 posts)It's sad that there are so many nativists and racists even on the Democratic side.
Just as a reminder: a six year old born in Chicago to undocumented parents from Mexico is as much an American citizen as you are, as Chris Kyle's children are, as Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan themselves were. That child is no less an American citizen than you. And that's a good thing.
kaiden
(1,314 posts)to children being born in this country of parents who are not citizens as "voter fraud" by people who vote in numerous precincts or with a different name. Seriously, how many children are being born here by mothers who are not citizens--eleventy billion?
Good gracious, people!
alcibiades_mystery
(36,437 posts)The so-called "crisis" of "anchor babies." What a fucking joke. People have no shame or decency anymore.
kaiden
(1,314 posts)hobbit709
(41,694 posts)I am an American citizen by birth even though I was not born here. And my parents were not even married. But my real father went to the American Embassy in Vienna and registered my birth as the father.
With over 300,000,000 million people in the US, just how many are anchor babies. And how many of those wanting to do this had ancestors that were not citizens when their children were born here?
JustAnotherGen
(31,828 posts)If this 'law' they want to pass is more than 4 sentences long - I think the fix is in to f*ck over an awful lot of tax payers and citizens.
I do not trust the Republicans.
Gothmog
(145,291 posts)Vogon_Glory
(9,118 posts)It ought to but I can imagine the remaining Kum-bai-ya members of many state and national Democratic organizations passing on the chance to hammer the GOP over this issue and hammer them hard, especially when running an evil-minded ad showing second-generation Hispanics in this country being arrested in Gestapo-style raids and being deported as a result of such legislation.
The Democratic Party still has too many pussyfooters who want to play nice with sociopaths.
Gothmog
(145,291 posts)This issue will be brought up early and often
tazkcmo
(7,300 posts)Here in San Antonio, TX I've talked to several Latinos that LOVE the Hump. These are my co-workers of which at least two are here illegally. Go figure.
pampango
(24,692 posts)of 'welfare queens', the 'scourge' of gay and lesbian marriages, the 'scourge' of seniors on Social Security and Medicare, and on and on and on.
Be afraid of the 'scourge'. Be afraid. Be afraid. THEY (immigrants, poor people, minorities, gays and lesbians and on and on) are out to get US. Be afraid! Be very afraid!
B Calm
(28,762 posts)I'm thinking most of the US will end up getting deported under President Trump.
uriel1972
(4,261 posts)tazkcmo
(7,300 posts)Beating up babies is still wrong unless that baby is an Anchor baby. If so, kick away!
I'm going to a "Kick that Anchor Baby" preseason football party this week end and bought a new pair of Red Wing boots for the occasion. This Anchor Baby kicking thing also spurs the consumer driven economy! A win win for racists across the country! Weeeeeee!!!!
sarcasm
Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)citizenship is like handing a grenade to a toddler. Who else will they decide is legally an unperson?
CTyankee
(63,912 posts)spanone
(135,841 posts)Paladin
(28,262 posts)cascadiance
(19,537 posts)Corporate personhood as our ACTIVIST corporate courts in rulings like Bank of Boston vs. Bellotti and Citizen's United, used the more nebulous wording in the 14th amendment that didn't appropriately put "natural" in front of the term person in that amendment to allow these corporatist judges on the court since then to say that corporations as "persons" (since they are "artificial" persons in other laws) had the same rights as citizens.
http://www.amendmentgazette.com/are-corporations-people/
If they try to repeal the 14th amendment, perhaps a lot of letters should be written to corporate lobby firms, etc. that Steve King, etc. is looking to take away their "rights" by tearing down the basis for their corporate personhood rights if they were to repeal this amendment.
Perhaps not the reasons we might want to use to help protect the 14th amendment, but could help us get those like King who want to tear it down for the wrong reasons to have their heads on a chopping block, so that we can just revise that wording later to tear down citizen's united and leave that amendment intact otherwise.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)jmowreader
(50,559 posts)They'd probably rather repeal the 14th Amendment to end the scourge of "gay marriages," "black people using the white people's restrooms," and "women getting high-paying jobs that should go to men." Keeping Mexicans from running to Arizona to have their bebbies on American soil so they can draw those huge Welfare Checks is just a side benefit.