Congressional Craziness: Conservatives Open Up The 113rd Congress With Unconstitutional Bill To End Birthright Citizenship
thinkprogress.orgThe Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution expressly provides that nearly anyone born in the United States is a citizen, regardless of the immigration status of their parents. Yet, despite the Constitution’s clear command, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) wants to ignore our founding document and prevent the children of undocumented immigrants from becoming citizens:
It’s the first week of the 113th Congress, and one House member is already trying to stop children born in the United States to undocumented parents — whom he calls “anchor babies” — from gaining citizenship.
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), an outspoken hardliner on immigration, introduced a bill on Thursday that would “clarify those classes of individuals born in the United States who are nationals and citizens of the United States at birth.” The Supreme Court has consistently held that anyone born in the United States, regardless of their parents’ immigration status, should receive citizenship under the 14th Amendment.
King disagrees, as do 13 co-sponsors on the bill, including Reps. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) and Mo Brooks (R-Ala.).
The Constitution is clear that King’s bill is unconstitutional. Under the Fourteenth Amendment, “[a]ll 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.” The word “jurisdiction” refers to people that are subject to American law. Thus foreign diplomats and their families, who are granted broad immunity from U.S. law, are not entitled to citizenship under the 14th Amendment. Likewise, at the time the Fourteenth Amendment was drafted many Native Americans were subject only to tribal law and thus were not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States. Undocumented immigrants and their children, by contrast, are not immune to U.S. law. And thus fit squarely within the Fourteenth Amendment’s command.
In the past two years, more than 200,000 parents have been removed from the country who say they have a U.S. citizen child.
Related articles
- Conservatives Open New Congress With Unconstitutional Bill To End Birthright Citizenship (thinkprogress.org)
- Steve King Seeks To Block ‘Anchor Babies’ (huffingtonpost.com)
- Will Americans Be Stripped of Citizenship Based on Accusation? (dprogram.net)
- Bosniak on Birthright Citizenship (lsolum.typepad.com)
Mo Brooks
People are getting pretty angry at Alabama congressman Mo Brooks for saying he’d do anything short of shooting an illegal immigrant to keep them from taking jobs from American citizens. I don’t know why people are getting so mad. Brooks said he’d do anything short of shooting, so he’s probably totally down to politely ask them to stop.
Letter to U.S. House Rep. Mo Brooks About No Vote On Sandy Relief
I wrote a letter to my U.S. House Representative in the state of Alabama. Here it is. I hope that it reaches him, and he sends me a response.
January 05, 2013
Dear U.S. House Rep. Mo Brooks,
I was disappointed to see your name among those that voted against Hurricane Sandy relief for New York and New Jersey. If the same had occurred in Alabama, you would have likely voted for the relief, and occasionally Alabama does get hit by hurricanes.
The people of New York and New Jersey need this help, many are still not in permanent housing, many of them had their homes destroyed in Hurricane Sandy.
It is your duty to do what is best for all Americans, and a vote for Sandy relief would have done this.
In the future, you will again face this question, in a different place. As you are aware of, but perhaps in denial of climate change is real, and these storms are going to only get more frequent and more severe.
I hope that the next time that an issue such as this comes up, that you will vote to help the citizens of the United States as you were elected to do, and not to abandon them sleeping on cots in makeshift shelters.
Good luck sir.
Sincerely,
Cynthia Yildirim
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