Citizenship by Birthright Essay

     Those opposed to ending the clause in the Birthright Citizenship Amendment will argue that… “The framers' intent was to create an objective basis for establishing citizenship—birth—not a subjective standard left to the whim of a majority. The United States has, for that reason, never struggled like other nations to integrate those born here” (Fitz, 2010). The thought process here is that those born natural citizens of the US from alien parents will always carry the stigma of having been the children of aliens. This could cause more undue injustice towards these people than the founding fathers wanted. After all, they were all alien to this soil.

The history of Birthright Citizenship gives the reason for its existence. Back to the year of 1857, in the Dred Scott decision passed by the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Roger Taney declared that blacks were “regarded as beings of an inferior order and altogether unfit to associate with the white race, either in social or political relations; and so far inferior that they had no rights which the white man was bound to respect”, irritating all the free ones and slaveries who pursued the basic rights to live as equal as the Caucasians did (Howard 407). As known to all, it was a major fuse that ignited the Civil Wars, which

Over a century ago, the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution was implemented to grant citizenship to individuals born within the country. This was the first time that it was defined what it means to be a citizen in the U.S. While the amendment was created to address the citizenship of slaves, it is currently under speculation in regards to granting U.S. citizenship to children born to undocumented immigrants (Gans, 2012). While there have been many arguments to place restrictions or eradicate granting children of undocumented immigrants U.S. citizenship, the constitutional right remains the same: if you are born on U.S. land, you are a citizen (Angelo, 2013). This paper argues that the birthright citizenship of U.S. born children of undocumented immigrants should continue to be granted based on the underlying principles of the 14th Amendment and the possible implications of ending birthright citizenship. First, this paper describes birthright citizenship and the 14th Amendment, as well as its use in several Supreme Court cases that are significant to this issue. Then, various implications of eradicating birthright citizenship are discussed. Before discussing the possible consequences of eradicating birthright citizenship, it is imperative to discuss the history and principles underlying it.

Such changes would require that a newborn must provide proof of his/her birth as well as his/her parents legal status at the time of birth. This would place a huge burden on the state government and would make the issuance of birth certificates very expensive. U.S. citizenship and immigration laws are complex and providing proof of a parent’s legal status at the time of the child’s birth can be very difficult. Every American born baby would face a bureaucratic hurdle that would result in the need of legal services. A change in the citizenship clause will cost American households $2.4 billion annually (Stock 153). It is also expected that the change would fall on minorities and the poor because the wealthy and most middle class families would have access to a lawyer, when the poor could not afford to retain

Another example of someone abusing the 14th amendment's birthright citizenship is in the case of Yaser Esam Hamdi. Hamdi was born a U.S. citizen in Louisiana to Arabian parents there on work visas. He scarcely lived in the U.S. before going

Today the Society is split into three separately minded groups. In no specific ordering, the first is determined to believe that any one person born in the United States is a citizen and which means their parents should become citizens along with them. These are the ones whom obtain “birthright citizenship” (Raul). The second are firm believers in the only ones that should be citizens are the ones who go through the proper process of becoming a citizen and according to the article in “USA today,” it states that illegal immigrants are “having babies as a way to obtain citizenship,” which too many Americans “cheapens the whole idea of being American”. The last group is the “other” the ones whom are completely neutral or believe in the

Debra Cassens Weiss explains whether the Constitution allows a ban on birthright citizenship. Birthright citizenship is a term that’s been in the Constitution well before the 1900’s. Birthright citizenship is the concept that any person born in the United States is automatically a citizen. According to the Constitution, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States are subject to the jurisdiction [laws] thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state where in they reside.” The issue with this concept that is functioning in the United States under the Fourteenth Amendment, is, illegal immigrants are traveling to the United States whether it be from the Caribbean, Mexico, or any foreign country are giving labor to children

In the newspaper article “A Market Solution to Immigration Reform” (Wall Street Journal, March 1, 2013), Gary Becker and Edward Lazear propose that selling American citizenship could improve their economy, and address the problem with immigration policy by explaining the benefits of a market base to a weak American economy. Becker is a professor of economics at the University of Chicago, while Lazear is a professor at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and a former chair of the President’s council of Economic advisors. They have also stated four welfares that it could bring. Although the proposal of a market-based immigration policy is “radical at first glance,” the suggestion by Becker and Lazear that we sell the right to become a U.S. citizen is reasonable and practical.

Immigrants are an important part of the United States economy and are still looked down upon. While immigrants pay about “$11.6 billion to the economy annually, including nearly $7 billion in sales and excise taxes and $3.6 billion in property taxes,” the United States still charges several thousands of dollars to become a citizen (Chen). Citizens contribute to their country to

One major point policymakers argue against birthright citizenship is the fact that it incentivizes illegal immigration and can lead to a never ending series of chain migration.

Total inhalation of immigration would not be a healthy choice for the United States. However, setting out for stricter laws to become a citizen is in need. There are over 11.7 million illegal immigrants in the United States (poll 2011). Therefore, having restrictions on immigration overall can help the economy grow, security at airports, docs, borders, and on the streets would not only lessen the illegal immigrants around the country, but supply more jobs for Americans. Illegal immigrants not only live in the U.S, but are supplied jobs in which were made for American workers.

What is an anchor baby? Would you like someone to call your children an anchor baby? When many illegal women come to the United States to have babies, so they can obtain citizenship for the children, and then they would return to their country, so that when their children are old enough, they may return to the U.S with no problems is called an anchor baby. As a young immigrant I would dislike it if someone called my children such a disgusting name. Personally, I have lived all the terrors, immigrants go through dangerous obstacles just to reach the American dream. The desert is not a safe way to reach the American dream, been lost for three to more days, starvation, and thirst are not a way to die. Therefore, the Supreme Court should not repeal or change the Fourteenth Amendment. “In both ways large or small immigrants have helped shape the United States for the better”. Also, immigrants have contributed to the state’s economic growth, and the American culture. The physical growth and political power that we have now would had ceased to exist. [Debate pg. 591]

Next, a study by Raúl Hinojosa-Ojeda states that using a comprehensive immigration plan that involves giving current undocumented immigrants legal status would benefit the country with 1.5 trillion dollars in additional GDP growth over 10 years while increasing wages for all workers. Additionally, tax revenue would be increased by 4.5+ billion dollars over three years. The same study shows the cost of mass deportation, which is 2.6 trillion dollars in lost GDP over 10 years while increased wages for less-skilled workers. These undocumented immigrants certainly have a heavy influence regarding the economy, and it may be beneficial to incorporate them by granting amnesty as opposed to other solutions such as mass deportation. With legal status, the 11 million undocumented individuals can be more productive and help further strengthen the U.S. economy.

Pros · Birthright citizenship could save social services and healthcare for economic gain Governmental funds could be saved instead of going towards mothers, particularly who are in the United States illegally. This is something that would make fewer immigrants desire to come to this country for the same reason. As much as these babies who are U.S. citizens through birthright are entitled and qualified for social programs even outside the nation, a tremendous amount of taxpayers’ money is massively saved.

Whitney Ryan Professor Sherry Sharifian Government 2305-75430 19 June 2017 Birth Tourism Traveling from China, Mexico, and everywhere in between, prospective parents are seeking for a safer and more economically reliable future for their babies. Parents are traveling to the United States to give birth in exchange for a U.S. citizenship for their child. 1 This trade is due to the 14th Amendment which clearly 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” (Staff). This practice is more commonly known as birth tourism. The most targeted states for birth tourism include California and Florida (Feere, "Birth Tourists Come from Around the Globe”). For parents traveling across the Atlantic Ocean Miami is a popular destination because of the location, weather, cheaper prices, and multiple options of trustworthy hospitals. However, for parents traveling from countries like Taiwan and China, California is a more popular destination. Growing more and more popular every year with around 300,000 born per year, birth tourism is a growing problem in the United States (Feere, “Birthright Citizenship in the United States: 2 A Global Comparison”).