End Birthright Citizenship
There is currently an online petition to end birthright citizenship. I read about it on Ironic Surrealism II. The petition seeks to end giving babies who are born to illegal immigrants in the USA automatic citizenship. The petition wants to support House Resolution 1940. This resolution only grants birthright citizenship to: (1)a citizen or national of the United States; (2) an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States whose residence is in the United States; or (3) an alien performing active service in the armed forces (as defined in section 101 of title 10, United States Code).
I believe this makes perfect sense and it still offers citizenship by birth without being nationalistic. Therefore even someone who comes here on a tourist visa just to have an anchor baby will no longer be able to do that. That would make a high percentage of the population of New York non-citizens as many children are anchor babies. I hear that California has an even larger problem, but I know the problems facing New York personally. I know someone who came here on a tourist visa, somehow hid her pregnancy, worked illegally in NYC and gave birth to a baby here in the USA. She is from the former Soviet Union. I also know of illegals from the former Soviet Union who gave birth to their anchor baby and then send the child back to the home country to live with relatives while they continue to work in the USA illegally to send money back to their home country and use the US citizen baby later when they are needed for benefits, free school, etc. This is not uncommon. These people are not victims but know they are breaking the law. In most cases these people work in the US illegally not for survival but to build a HUGE mansion in the old country, or to pay for a fancy wedding or circumcision party.
This is an example of one of those palaces built by illegal workers in other countries being built in Uzbekistan. Of course, I know not EVERY illegal immigrant is like this. Some truly send their money back home to pay for a surgery or to build a school in their home village. Others live as if they were legally in America and do not send money home. I don’t know anyone like that personally. I know they exist. That still does not mean that their babies should automatically become citizens. Legal Americans end up paying for the anchor babies’ benefits, free lunches, and government care, while their parents send their usual untaxed undeclared income overseas to build huge houses in their hometowns overseas. I think being for this petition means that you believe the system is outdated and you are tired of people taking advantage of the system while your family spent thousands and waited years to come here legally. This is not a Democratic/Republican issue or a racist issue. This is an issue of people taking advantage of the USA and lying.
on August 30th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
This is a good idea, it is annoying that I had to do a ton of paper work and pay hundreds of dollars to stay here legally while people are staying here illegally and using my tax dollars to pay for their health care and other stuff.
on August 31st, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Um, no. I disagree. It is unfair. A lot of people come here out of desperation. These children are torn in the middle. They’re innocent. Not all illegals break the law. A lot of them (I deal with A LOT of these kind of people) do go through the proper channels. We must remember that it doesn’t happen overnight.
Illegals aren’t the only ones I know of A LOT of Americans who beat the system to receive free school lunches. Those, in return, sign fee waivers so that they don’t have to pay for field trips, then it causes an increase in the amount my child has to pay to cover what the non-paying student should have paid. Then they get free daycare, have no health insurance and go to the ER and never pay a hospital bill. Don’t get me started on those who drive around uninsured.
It isn’t an illegal problem. It’s a problem with everyone.
on August 31st, 2007 at 2:21 pm
I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m trying to start a fight, because I’m not. This is a subject near to my heart because a)I’m a hispanic, b)my line of work, and c)I lived in NYC many, many, MANY years and know firsthand that these “lawbreakers” are both illegal and lega.
on September 7th, 2007 at 11:50 am
I just gave an example of non- Hispanics who overstay their visas just to have their token American citizen child. This is NOT a Hispanic issue. I was an ESOL teacher too remember. I still think it is wrong. I also know people personally in NYC abusing the system. I also know that most of these people are not desperate.
American citizens abusing the system is another issue. You know how I feel about people on food stamps with fancy cell phones.