Citizenship April 25, 2011 Anchor Babies Misinterpretation of the 14th Amendment is creating a problem with the USA.

The practice of birthright citizenship is antiquated. Anchor Babies are children born to foreigners on American soil. The child could be the offspring of a wealthy tourist here on a legal vacation or a blue-collar worker who has crossed our border illegally for economic gain. They are given all the rights and privileges of being a U.S. Citizen, and by extension, their families end up being anchored in the United States, increasing the population, straining our social services systems and our ecosystems. Anchors babies are not protected by the 14th Amendment and they are putting a strain on the taxpayer and government. First: the 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868 and its purpose was to ensure all rights of citizenship were granted to the recently freed slaves. Second: Those who oppose granting anchor babies citizenship claim that the 14th Amendment only protects African Americans US citizenship; legislators are investigating the loophole for the 14th amendment that is granting citizenship to Anchor Babies. Third: Anchors Babies are causing increase in state and federal taxes for health care and insurance, increases that the taxpayer and our government cannot afford. An informed citizenry will benefit from applying both creative and critical thinking in finding a solution to this social issue. An informed citizen should know the rights granted by both their States Constitution and the Federal Constitution.

The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified in 1868 and its purpose was to ensure that all the rights of citizenship were granted to the recently freed African Americans as explained by the Original Intent Organization in their treatise (The 14th Amendment Clarified,

par 3). It specifically prevents a state from denying citizenship to a US born African American (The 14th Amendment Clarified, par 5). The Fourteenth Amendment was not designed to grant citizenship to foreigners visiting our country or here illegally (The 14th Amendment Clarified, par 14). The correct interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment is that the illegal alien mother and child are subject to the laws of her country (The 14th Amendment Clarified, par 29). The interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment that allows birthright citizenship means that we are not only bearing the burden of the anchor baby, but also of the illegal parents and the anchor babys extended family members which are facts clearly stated in the Illegal Immigration Statistics Organizations statements in The Rising Cost of Immigration: Health Care and Insurance ( par 6). It is hard to understand a legal system that makes unauthorized entry into the United States illegal and simultaneously offers perhaps the greatest inducement to illegal entry, free health care and education (Camarota, par 8). Legislators are investigating the loophole for the 14th Amendment that is inviting anchor babies. The American voter and our legislators are starting to understand the effects that the loophole or the current interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment is having on our economy and society as a whole (Montopoli, par 6). Statistics from federal and educational organizations show added support for closing the loophole in the Fourteenth Amendment that allows birthright citizenship (Camarota, par 3). Two Republican Senators Louisianas David Bitter and Kentuckys Rand Paul have introduced new legislation designed to close the loophole in the Fourteenth Amendment (Montopoli, par 1). Their resolution would amend the Constitution so that citizenship would be granted only if the newborn had one parent that was a US citizen, legal immigrant or active member of the US Military or is a naturalized US citizen (Montopoli, par 2). "For too long, our nation has seen an influx of illegal aliens entering our country at an escalating

rate, and chain migration is a major contributor to this rapid increase - which is only compounded when the children of illegal aliens born in the U.S. are granted automatic citizenship," Vitter said. "Closing this loophole will not prevent them from becoming citizens, but will ensure that they have to go through the same process as anyone else who wants to become an American citizen (Montopoli, para 6). The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution reads, in part, "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" (Montopoli, par 7). Vitter and Paul maintain, however, that does not necessarily confer citizenship on the children of illegal immigrants born on U.S. soil (Montopoli, par 7). That's a common view shared by Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King, who introduced birthright citizenship legislation in the House (Montopoli par8). King told Hotsheet in November that the clause "and subject to the jurisdiction thereof" means that babies born to illegal immigrants do not necessarily have constitutionally-protected citizenship rights (Montopoli, par 8). Why is this issue so important right now? Anchors babies are causing an increase in state and federal taxes for health care and insurance. The Illegal Immigration Statistics Organization estimates that one out of every 10 births in the United States is to an illegal alien mother (The Rising Cost of Illegal Immigration: Health Care and Insurance, par 12). Republicans that are advocates of closed borders, argue that each year 400,000 pregnant women enter the United States specifically to take advantage of birthright citizenship opportunities (Camarota, par 12). Economically this is sinking our economy because thirty four percent of immigrants lack health insurance, compared to thirteen percent of natives (The Rising Cost of Illegal Immigration: Health Care and Insurance, par 28). Illegal immigrants and their U.S.-born children account for seventy one percent of the increase in the medically uninsured since 1989 (The Rising Cost of

Illegal Immigration: Health Care and Insurance, par 38).The poverty rate for immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) is seventeen percent, nearly fifty percent higher than the rate for natives and their children (Camarota, par 12). The financial burdens of the anchor baby are taxing our medical, social services and educational systems and utilizing a significant portion of both Federal and State tax dollars (Smith, par 2). The economic reasons that concern both citizens and lawmakers is the snowball effect that the anchor babies have on our social services systems, their legal status allows the illegal parents to remain within our borders (Smith, par 3). What is the cost for all of these Anchor babies? Just the birth statistics at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas Texas shows that seventy percent of the births are to illegal immigrant women (Smith, par 2). The numbers are staggering; seventy percent of the births are equivalent to 11,200 babies at that hospital (Smith, par 3). The fees for these childrens births were covered in full by the combined efforts of the Texas state Medicaid program, the federal government and the Dallas taxpayer (Smith, par 2, par 11). The 14th Amendment was written when we did not have immigration laws and its main purpose was to insure citizens rights for the newly freed slaves after the Civil War. The current interpretation of the 14th Amendment is antiquated, it was written for a specific purpose and it was written when the USA was an agrarian nation, when immigration of unskilled workers was viewed as an asset; before we had immigration laws, the wording of the 14th Amendment needs clarification and an interpretation that accounts for our immigration laws. Finally the Anchor Babys negative impact has on our economy and society as a whole needs to be considered. Just the costs of the Anchor Babies birth alone are staggering and that is compounded by the fact that the Anchor Babies parents typically only use emergency care in US hospitals and that tab is paid for by the taxpayer, you and me!

The 14th Amendment specifically prevents a state from denying citizenship to a US born African American (The 14th Amendment Clarified, par 5). The Fourteenth Amendment was not designed to grant citizenship to foreigners visiting our country or here illegally (The 14th Amendment Clarified, par 14). The correct interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment is that the illegal alien mother and child are subject to the laws of her country (The 14th Amendment Clarified, par 29). Legislators are investigating the loophole for the 14th Amendment that is inviting anchor babies (Montopoli, par 6). The American voter and our legislators are starting to understand the negative effects that the loophole or the current interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment is having on our economy and society as a whole (Montopoli, par 6). Possible resolutions would amend the Constitution so that citizenship would be granted only if the newborn had one parent that was a US citizen, legal immigrant or active member of the US Military or is a naturalized US citizen (Montopoli, par 2). The interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment that allows birthright citizenship means that we are not only bearing the burden of the anchor baby, but also of the illegal parents and the anchor babys extended family members which are facts clearly stated in the Illegal Immigration Statistics Organizations statements in The Rising Cost of Immigration: Health Care and Insurance ( par 6). The financial burdens of the anchor baby are taxing our medical, social services and educational systems and utilizing a significant portion of both Federal and State tax dollars (Smith, par 2). Those in favor of US citizenship for the children of Illegal immigrants claim that by denying the birthright citizenship we are not acting in the spirit of the original Constitution (The 14th Amendment Clarified, par 18). The proponents of anchor babies also say that punishing the innocent child the Anchor baby, is just not the American way; how can we deny life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to anyone when our Constitution defends these very right (The 14th

Amendment Clarified, par 20). Faith based groups express increasing concern that the U.S. immigration regime violates basic human dignity and has placed the lives of migrants at risk, pregnant women are taking extreme health risks to ensure live birth on American soil (Camarota, par 22). The 14th Amendment is antiquated and needs to be rewritten. Legislators and voters need to make sure the wording and interpretation of the 14th Amendment fits the current century, they need to close the loopholes. The current state of the U.S. economy cannot continue to support the medical expenses created by the anchor babys birth and the escalated care of emergency medical services for their extended family. Legislators recognize the negative economic and social effects that the current interpretation of the 14th Amendment is creating. We need to cut our federal budget, in my opinion the best way to do that is to cut the federal and state spending on illegal citizens. The US and Canada are the last two industrialized nations that grant citizenship for just being born on our soil, but the time has come to close our borders, revise our laws and take care of Americans first. I can understand how many groups feel about revising the 14th Amendment, claiming that denying birthright citizenship is just not the American way. It seems that Americans, being the mutts that we are, always sympathize with the down trodden; we truly believe that every human has the God given rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is who we are.

Works Cited Camarota, Steven. "Immigrants in the United States 2007: A Profile of America's Foreign-Born Population." Center for Immigration Studies Organization (2007): Web. 16 January 2011. "How Mass Migration Impedes Assimilation." Federation for American Immigration Reform (2002): Web. 09 January 2011. Montopoli, Brian. "GOP Senators Push to End Birthright Citizenship." CBS News Political Hotsheet (2011): Web. 18 January 2011. "The Rising Cost of Illegal Immigration: Health Care and Insurance." Illegal Immigration Statistics Organization (2010): Web. 10 January 2011. "The 14th Amendment Clarified, The Original Intent Treatise." Original Intent Organization (2009): Web. 12 January 2011. Smith, Devonia. "Illegal Immigration Grenade, 60K Anchor Babies get U.S. Citizenship Every Year." Dallas Political Buzz Examiner (2010): Web. 17 January 2011.