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Subscribe to RSSTimothy Egan looks at opposition to the first line of the 14th Amendment: "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."
Egan wonders: "Of course, race has nothing to do with it, these situational constitutionalists say. But you have to wonder if their concern over citizens-by-birth would have extended to big Irish Catholic families of 100 years ago, some of whom came to the United States through illegal border crossings from Canada."
What do you think, as it relates to the current immigration debate?
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As I said in an earlier post I think it is going to be a huge problem if illegals are slated for deportation and they have children that were born here and are therefore citizens under US law. What if the parents say they are leaving the children here because they have a better chance at a better life in the US. What happens if you now have thousands of "orphaned" minors. Can you deport a US citizen? What if the citizen is a minor and the parents are illegal? If one parent is legal and the other is not do you split the family and deport the illegal parent. I think we are going to have to figure this out, and I suppose it is one of the reasons nobody in Congress has ever really wanted to seriously address illegal immigration. I wonder if John McCain and Jan Brewer have any ideas yet, they may need some soon. What side of the dang fence do children born in the US wind up on?
Forrest Gump: What side of the danged fence do children born in the US wind up on?
I think most of us believe they belong here. Another question is if they remain here, and in Arizona, without their parents to care for them that means that they will be put into the system and someone will have to take on that responsibility without the parents helping at all. I would rather have the parents here with them and trying to make a life for them rather than the government having to spend more money than we are now. Let's find a way to bring this to a close by doing comprehensive reform, it is the most logical thing to do.
My opinion only.
I agree reform has to be conprehensive, but there will strong opinions from several persprctives. "What side of the danged fence do children born in the US wind up on?" I asked the question in this manor to provoke thought, I was being snarky with McCain,s build the dang fence commercial because they always make things sound so simple and this will not be simple.
Agreed. I was taught that anything worth having is worth working for. We voted for politicians to work for the best interests of the US regardless of whether it was simple or not. I am a strong Obama supporter and I think he should push Congress to address this issue. Even if Congress does not get it passed the President, I believe, will be credited for standing by his promise for comprehensive reform.