For some people, being born on American soil doesn’t make a baby “American enough.” U.S. Sens. John Kyl (R-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) are leading the pack in an effort to repeal the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment.
Kyl said on CBS’ "Face the Nation," “The 14th Amendment has been interpreted to provide that if you are born in the United States, you are a citizen no matter what. So the question is: If both parents are here illegally, should there be a reward for their illegal behavior?"
Section 1 of the 14th Amendment states: “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. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
Originally enacted to ensure no state could deny citizenship to freed slaves, this portion of the 14th Amendment is mostly undisputed by both parties, and something the GOP cling to as one of its greatest achievements.
To that end, why would a group of rogue senators get all Voldemort on the nation and claim that being born in our country still doesn’t guarantee citizenship?
These convictions, however skewed they may be, are aimed at illegal immigrants who remain in this country after they have had children here, and the idea is surprisingly gaining conservatives’ support.
It’s funny that a country willing to call a dehydrogenated and overly processed oil byproduct that somewhat resembles cheese, American cheese, isn’t willing to call a human being born on American soil American simply because his or her parents take hirune, tüy or siestas as opposed to naps.
A step in the process of earning U.S. citizenship is to become informed on various events in our history, including wars, presidential chronology and important and influential court cases. Was Bristol Palin’s baby denied citizenship because its grandmother couldn’t recall a single court case in an interview with Katie Couric?
I guess McConnell’s McGreat-great-great grandparents have been drinking their Guinness here in America since day one.
Even former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney have expressed disagreement with these sentiments. Really, if these two think something is a bad idea, we should step back and re-evaluate the situation.
If this movement gained enough momentum in the legislature, who’s to say other parts of the 14th Amendment wouldn’t be questioned?
Regardless of your political and party affiliations, it should be common sense to consider a woman who carries a child for nine months in the United States has paid for the citizenship of that baby in more ways than some of the Kyls and McConnells out there, who seem to forget what this country was founded on.
Reach the Ben at ben.karris@asu.edu
