Birthright Citizenship

729 Words2 Pages

If you were to buy a fresh pair of Nike's from a street vendor and when you get home, the `N' falls off uncovering an `S', do you still consider them Nike's? Honestly, look at what they really are. They are Sike's. No matter how hard they try to be Nike's, they will always be Sike's. You can cover the `S' with an `N' but can you ever really replace the `S'? No, you can not, so why should an illegal immigrant gain American citizenship rights just because they were born in America? In 1868, the United States of America's Congress adopted the 14th Amendment to the Constitution stating that, "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." This amendment was added so that the recently freed black slaves would be able to become citizens and vote. Little did our ancestors realize that one day illegal immigrants would use and abuse this amendment to the point that birthright citizenship in the United States must be stopped immediately. Illegal immigrants, or people that are thinking of becoming such, see this amendment as the only way out of their hard lives into the United States to live out their American Dream. Pregnant mothers cross through the scorching heat of the deserts in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California so that their babies may be born in the United States and become a U.S. citizen. These children are called "anchor-babies" because they literally can anchor an entire family in the United States. When these children reach the age of eighteen, they can petition for admission of parents, siblings, spouses, spouses of siblings and their children for U.S. citizenship. Allan Wall is an Ame... ... middle of paper ... ...other country, their rights are taken away. What should be taken notice of is the wording in the actual amendment, "subject to the jurisdiction thereof." When an alien crosses the American border illegally, they are breaking their jurisdiction. This was intended to exclude persons whose allegiance to the United States was not complete. Automatic birthright citizenship is costing the United States billions of dollars, but more importantly it is costing lives. These illegal mothers are crossing very rough terrains, and a good percentage of them do not make it through. They are not only jeopardizing their own lives, but their baby's life as well. They are willing to take this chance though, because our government rewards Illegals while costing its taxpayers. It must be stopped before the sprinkling of illegal and expecting mothers turns into a downpour.

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