Birthright citizenship has not always been the law of the land. It was established by the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, which was ratified by Congress in 1868. The first section of the 14th Amendment reads:
Section 1. 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.Recently, birthright citizenship has been questioned. For instance, Congressional Republican Steve King has called for an end to birthright citizenship because of illegal immigration. King is concerned about illegal immigration. In particular, King is concerned about illegal immigrants secretly coming across the US-Mexico border and having a child -- the child, because they were born in America, are now American citizens. King wants to do away with birthright citizenship because the children born in America make it easier for the parents who are illegal aliens to stay in the US.
What do you think?
Should citizenship be determined by birth? Or should being born in America count for nothing? Should we determine citizenship by another standard? -- for example, citizenship could be purchased, or citizenship could be acquired by serving in the military, citizenship could be acquired by passing a test, citizenship could be acquired by doing public service, or citizenship could be acquired by measuring your net contribution to the society. These are just a few examples of the different ways that citizenship can be gained.
I think that citizenship should be determined by birth. If you are born in the US then you are a citizen. I think that should be the main way to become a citizen of the US. I dont think it should be purchased, passing a test, public service, etc. The only other i might say could work would be serving in the military.
ReplyDeleteTim Hoover
PSCI 100.04
I think citizenship should be a birthright. This is where you are born you are now part of the country. If this is a problem with illegal immigration then something with the boarder patrol should be done. Just because people are coming to the United States and having children does not mean we shouldn't be considered automatic citizens for being born and raised in the United States. The government shouldn't punish all of us because something needs to be done with the boarder patrol or other actions need to be taken. WE THE PEOPLE have the right to be born citizens. It is bad enough we have to pay hundreds of dollars just to get a passport I think we as citizens should be provided with things like that. But now that want to put a price on our citizenship? Are the putting prices on enough things that are ludacris anyways?
ReplyDeleteCody Barrett
PSCI MWF 9:10-10
I think that citizenship should be a birthright as well.. I think things like paying for your citizenship or being married into a citizen is completely WRONG. One, because some people just marry any ole person just to become a citizen and two, because people who would buy their citizenship could be dangerous and no one would know. I could see if you would take a citizen test.. I have taken one of them in high school and they are HARD. But anything other than the two things I approve of, everything else is unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteTaylor Hardee
PSCI 100:05
I think that being born in the U.S. should make you a citizen. It makes the most sense out of all the regulations to be a citizen. I think that maybe doing a public service or joining the military has good potential or reasoning behind it if it were to be required to become a citizen. What better way to earn your citizenship of a country than to be willing to fight and die for it? I do think it would cause complications down the line however. I do not think a test should be required and I definitely do not think you should be able to purchase citizenship.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Sentinella
PSCI 100.05
i agree that birth in the U.S is a right way of being a citizen simply because your born here where else would you be a citizen of if you werent born there. The government should do all they can to protect immigrants from crossing.
ReplyDelete-costen
I think that if you are born into a country you should be given automatic citizenship, however at the same time I believe that if you come into a new country but work hard and make a good contribution back to society you should be given the right and choice to become a citizen of that country if you would like.
ReplyDeleteHayley Glover
PSCI 100.03
I think if your born into a Country you should be a citizen of that Country and there should not be any questions asked about that. I think if your not born in a country you should take the necessary steps in becoming a citizen of that country if they may be by, taking classes, background checks and many other things that you may have to do. This is appropriate to make sure you are not a threat to that Country.
ReplyDeleteWIlliam Mckenzie
PSCI 100-03
If you are born in a country you should be granted have automatic citizenship.I don't mind the current standards for gaining citizenship like taking a test or serving in the military. If you work hard and contribute to a country, then you should become a citizen.
ReplyDeletebianca redmond 100.04
I think that being a U.S. citizen should be earned. I do not have any specific requirements for what the individual should have to do to maintain or even achieve their citizenship; however, I really feel it should be earned. I believe that many of the citizens take their rights for granted and I feel if individuals were forced to earn their citizenship they would appreciate it more.
ReplyDeleteTrevor Phadden
PSCI 100:04
I think being born in your country should allow you some rights that people that don't belong to that country, but there should also be a type of test in place that determines your full citizenship. Something like a type of class that can only be determined through a test or schooling of sorts, and being in the different classes would allow for, not necessarily different freedoms, but different expectations on what is allowed for you.
ReplyDeleteSarah Barry
PSCI 100.04
If you are born in America you should be allowed American citizenship. I feel that if I am granted citizenship because I was born in America then everyone else should have that right as well. Also I do understand where people come from when they say that citizenship should be earned, just like in Trevor Phadden's opinion, when he said Americans take their rights for granted so by making individuals earn it they might appreciate it more. Kiana Weller PSCI 100:05
ReplyDeleteI believe the most logical way to gain USA citizenship is simpley at birth being boring in 1 of the 50 US States. We do count for something in this country we are one of the most successful countries on earth so we have to count for something for what we have done to put us in this situation. I mean if other people from this world want to become a US citzens then why not? they should though have to pay the price to purchase USA citizenship. (Brennan Fanning PSCI 100.03)
ReplyDeleteI believe that being born in the US was not the childs fault in the first place, after all there just in the whom. To put a person out of the state just because they had no control of where they were born is injustice. I believe the way it has been is the way it needs to stay because america is the land of the free and we have rules that have been avided by but there is always a loop hole. Now if you want to change it all i would do is say the child can stay but the parent has to go. That would force the parent to become a citizen or be born somewhere else. If this could not be done and the parent has the baby, it stays and goes into protective care or into the Army or Navy academy and when its of legal age the child can choose its on path.
ReplyDelete100.03 psci.
DeleteUS citizenship should be given to those born in this country, but I also believe that if you are willing to work in America and abide by the laws and traditions of an American, you should have the same opportunity for citizenship.
ReplyDeleteKimberly Clegg
PSCI 100.03
Tough question.
ReplyDeleteWhereas I thought the idea of "passing a test" was a good one, I doubt it would pick up enough steam to go anywhere. That being said, I generally agree with citizenship by birth. The other options are frankly too unrealistic: for instance, how would we be overcoming class divisions and the already present issue of class representation by making it only the wealthy class that can be a citizen and enjoy the rights as such?
This does not in any way imply that I believe illegal immigrants should be allowed to cross the border, give birth, and then use their child as a ticket, however.
I believe that citizenship should be made easier to aquire (land of opportunity and all that); but as long as a person is living in this country illegally, making a paycheck and using our system but not paying any taxes, we can again come back to the discussion of "pulling your own weight."
Ian Karraker PSCI 100.05
I think birthright citizenship should remain. It should count if you were born in America, the only exception is if your parents are illegal aliens. Then I think either those citizens should be forced back to their home land or deal with a consequence. However, the child will not have to suffer because how were they supposed to know. I do think in order to become a citizen of United States people should have to take a test, if not several tests. I dont think they should be forced to serve in the military, but providing service to America would also be a good way to go about the process of citizenship.
ReplyDeleteJenny Cavey PSCI 100.04
I believe that citizenship should still go by birth, or taking some sort of test if you are not born in the United States. It is not a child's fault that their parents are illegal immigrants, that child should be capable of being a natural born American citizen no matter what their descent is. In reality if an Irish woman and citizen of Ireland is vacationing in Florida and has a baby during said vacation, that child would be an American citizen if the mother wanted it to be. This would not be a problem, considering most Americans only argument about citizenship is with our neighbors from the south. I think that if someone comes into our country and is willing to do the work that some lazy citizens won't do then so be it, they should not be punished for wanting to feed us in order to feed themselves.
ReplyDeleteBrittney Mercer PSCI 100:05
Honestly, I believe that citizenship should either be given to everyone who lives in America or it should only be given to people who perform a certain task to earn it.
ReplyDeleteCassandra Nipe PSCI 100.05
I guess I can see how birthright citizenship can be somewhat problematic, but not to the extent that it should be done away with. If a person is born in a country, I believe they should be a citizen of that country. I definitely do not think that citizenship should be acquired through some type of purchase, that would put poorer people at even more of a disadvantage in society. I'm not sure what would be the best answer of how to determine citizenship if we did away with birthright citizenship. People take their citizenship for granted, so the thought of having to do something other than being born in the country would probably cause quite an uproar. I also believe that everyone should have the opportunity to become a citizen of the United States. I feel that overall we are a little too judgmental and need to be more compassionate toward others coming into the country who want to become citizens.
ReplyDeleteHeather Webb
PSCI 100.03
Im on the edge with this. Mainly because we all are immigrants of the like yet when people come from mexico or other countries and have children just to gain citizenship i feel thats wrong and taking advantage of the system. I think its wrong to take advantage of the law.
ReplyDeleteI can understand how birthright citizenship becomes in issue when the problem of illegal immigrant children come into question, but the idea of my children (I am not an illegal alien) having to wait till their of age to take a citizenship test is unacceptable. I could live with having the parents take the exam as soon as the child is born, but even that seems ridiculous. In my opinon a parent's background should be checked after a child's birth and if everything checks out okay than the child because a U.S. citizen within no more than a month after birth.
ReplyDeleteSlade McDowell
PSCI 100.05
I think the politically incorrect term for these children are anchor babies. All jokes aside. I think birthright citizenship makes sense. Yes, people are going to take advantage of the system, but people take advantage of any government program. You have to take the good with the bad.
ReplyDeleteTimothy Folk
PSCI 100.03
Citizenship should very well be determined at birht. If you are born in the United States, you should be considered American no matter the circumstance. For example, people who's parents are from the U.S. plan to go out of country and gives birth, after growing up the child may say they are from that specific country (not the US). Should we determine citizenship at birth, this will cut down on confusion of identity especially in the fostercare system. I vote YES!
ReplyDeleteLatavia Smith
100.05
I think that you should become a citizen by the outlines set up in the ammedment. But I also think that people are too extreme about about immagrants from Mexico. Why only Mexico, there is Canada and all other countries that send people here and they don't become citizens either. Blame everyone or no one. America was built to help people become a part of it. We should allow immagrants and then help them to gain citizenship. It is our duty to let others in and their duty to want to be included.
ReplyDeleteJoan Conte
PSCI 100:05
I think if you are born in the United States then you should already be an American citizen. People who come from other countries and have children just to be considered citizens are taking advantage of the system.
ReplyDeleteI also think that people take illegal immigrants, especially from Mexico, too far. There are a lot more immigrants from other places. America is considered a mixing pot.
April Cave
100.05
I think that citizenship should be determined by birth. If your parents live in a country their whole lives and you are born there I think that you should be born as that countries citizen. I think it is fair that people have the right to become citizens in another country by serving in the military or other forms of services to that country.
ReplyDeleteTyler Beard
PSCI 100.04
I think that is sould be a birth right but if people want to come here and pay taxes and do what citizens do thats fine. If those people obey the laws to but if they break them they should not say that they dont understand or get special treatment they should be deported. By living here they should be able to vote and hold offices becasue they live here and do what citizens do. I think that if they hold a job and pay bills and obbey laws and can past a test that most all citizens can pass then they can be citizens.
ReplyDeletecody whetzel 100.05
I think this should be determined by birthright. If you are born in this country, then you are a citzen in this country. I think if you come from another country then you should serve in the military or army for a year. To really get to know our country like you should. That you are fighting for the red, white, and blue and should be proud of it.
ReplyDeleteBeth Haymond
PSCI 100.05
there is no reason to change the law. perhaps if the illegal aliens that have a child should be made to get green cards while in the u.s. if not making them go through the process of becomeing u.s. citizen's. if they fail to do so they should have their child removed from their home and the deporting process should begin. treat it as a circumstance in which the parents fail to do what is nessisary to care for their child. Michael Ray Farris 100.4
ReplyDeleteI think that if your parents are U.S. citizens, then you should be considered a citizen, but if your parents are not citizens, I do not think that the child should have citizenship. They should be able to aquire it maybe after their parents became citizens or they could aquire it through services to the country. They have to be able to prove that they are pround to live here.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that passing a test is a good way to become a citizen becuase even the people who live here probably cannot pass that test. People should have different alternatives that are easier and shorter becuase if there was an easier way to become a citizen, then I think most immigrants would come to the United States legally.
Shelby Knepper
PSCI 100.04
i believe that if you are born in the U.S. then you are given the birth right of citizenship to our country. but if you would like to become a citizen, i believe that you should take a test and be required to complete a certain amount of community service. this would prove that you are adamant about becoming a citizen.
ReplyDeleteAmanda James 100.04
I think birth right citizenship is fine because you were born here why shouldn't you have that right even if your parents were illegeal. I think that most of the people that live in this country could not pass the test that they give out. Also buying citizenship would not be fair because most people do not have the resources to do that.
ReplyDeleteEllen Sassaman
PSCI 100:04
I think if you are born in the United States, you should be given citizenship no matter if your parents are not from this country. The test taking is a good way to give citizenship, but a lot of US citizens probably couldn't even pass that test, so I don't think it's fair to base citizenship just on that. Perhaps your citizenship could be determined by how long you've lived in the United States. Like if you have lived in the US for 10 years, you're considered a citizen.
ReplyDeleteHannah Piper
PSCI 100:04
I feel that if you are born in the U.S. then you should be a citizen, but being that the parents are here illegally, the parents should suffer the consequences, and either leave the country and leave their kids here with another guardian, take the kids back with them to their native land, or maybe upon finding out that the parents are illegal, give them a test to give them citizenship
ReplyDeleteBrandon Coffey
PSCI 100:04
My view on this is that if you were born in the U.S than that should make you a legal citizen of the country. For those who want to buy a citizenship i do not agree with that at all. If it was that easy then the term U.S. citizen wouldn't count for anything. We earned the right to be a citizen of then country and for those who were not a citizen at first should not be able to have the same rights as us. But if you just come to this country just to have there kids become a citizen i do not agree with either. What ever you parents are i feel as though thats what you should be.
ReplyDeleteAndre' Makell PSCI 100.03
I agree with a lot of what has already been said. If you are born here you should have the right to be a citizen. If you want citizenship you may purchase or take a test. At the same time I feel the "Anchor Baby" policy should be tossed out the window. The child born here can be allowed sure but the parents, maybe just one would have to take the test or be sent back from where they came from. That is how you obtain citizenship in other parts of the country and often times people have duel citizenship. However, certain countries I am sure have their own regulations as to how such citizenship is obtained.
ReplyDeleteBlaine G Gibson
PSCI 100.04
I think all 3 are legitimate reasons for citizenship. Saying how it is a birthright is ignorant because European invaders stole this land and call it freedom. If people want to come over for a better opportunity, like the founding fathers, then they should have every right too because i doubt opening a restaurant or mowing lawns takes away from "American Jobs." My parents weren't born here, and lived in the United States for over 20 years until recently becoming citizens.
ReplyDeleteI'm a 1st generation American, and everyone else might be 3rd, 5th, 100th generation but the common term is still American so we are all equal!
Jeffrey Acosta
PSCI 100:05
I've always had a problem with America's hypocrisy in on this issue. Firstly, this whole country was founded on the backs of immigrants.... I don't see what right there is for us to say, now, "oh, you are not allowed a citizen because you are foreign." We were all foreign coming to this country. I think citizenship should be determined by ones willingness to be a productive member of society. So, if you work and show yourself to be "helpful" in any sort of way, I think that should be a determinant for citizenship.... not a test where you have to say the national anthem.... since most Americans themselves only know part of the anthem, or memorizing the first amendments.... to which that ignorance of Americans still applies..... Oh, I just saw you have that option on the list of standards.... I agree with being measured by your net contribution to society! :)
ReplyDeletePSCI 100.05
I think there should be several ways to attain US citizenship. We should retain the current system where birth in the US guarantees automatic citizenship. We should also allow immigrants who apply for citizenship legally to take the citizenship test and attain citizenship. Additionally, illegal immigrants who are willing to serve a certain amount of years in our military should also be able to become citizens. A willingness to sacrifice their life for this country should put them on the path to citizenship. I do not feel that illegal immigrants should be able to attain citizenship simply because they have been here illegally for a certain number of years. This policy would just encourage more people to risk their lives coming here and would put a strain on US resources.
ReplyDeleteNick Mullican
PSCI 100.04
I believe that birth right citizenship should only apply to those with parents who are already citizens. While I have nothing against immigrant(though illegal immigration does aggravate me), having a newly born citizen with illegal parents would become a problem if our government tried to deport the parents and not the child.
ReplyDeleteAs for having citizenship being obtainable for a price of for a service, I have to disagree. Having a price set on citizenship prevents those from lower income countries from having chance to get into America and would create a problem where we would have massive amounts of citizens in America already who would no longer be able to afford that right. Also, having it obtainable through service is a bad idea as one of the reasons our military and civil service groups are as effective as they are is that they are made up of willing volunteers, who want to be there and believe in the work they are doing.
Ian Keller
PSCI 100.05
A lot of undocumented migrant workers have nothing to lose by coming here to have a child, and therefore, many come here SPECIFICALLY for their child to become US citizens. I think the parents should have to pay taxes in order for their child to gain citizenship. You have to pay to play. If the rest of legal US citizens have to pay taxes, illegal immigrants should, too.
ReplyDeleteBrittany Custer
PSCI 100.04
I think that it is stupid that people would think like that. If we do away with that then almost everyone living here would be striped of their citizenship. If I am born here, then I am a citizen. They say America was "founded" on different oppressed groups coming here to try to start a new life and new possibilities. What is so different about Latin American families doing the same?
ReplyDeleteAlso, if this passed, the only people who would be citizens anymore would be the people who have paid and taken the tests to be naturalized. So in essence, the only US citizens would be people who weren't born here....kind of dumb...
Andrew Seaman 100.03
DeleteI feel as though every person should have to serve 2 years in the military to be considered a citizen of the U.S. However, I also feel that there should be a vote by these citzens as to whether or not we should go to war.
ReplyDeleteTrevor McClain 100.05
I think citizenship should be determined by birth. I think allowing immigrants to serve in the military, do public service, or contribute to society should be granted citizenship. I don't think that it is right to allow immigrants to become citzens by paying a fee. Some immgrants could be potentially dangerous and cause harm to U.S. citizens.
ReplyDeleteAmber Ugorji
PSCI 100.04
I believe that if you are born in America then you are an American citizen. Citizenship should not be able to be purchased and you should not have to serve in the military. If you pass a citizenship test, then you should be granted citizenship. After being granted citizenship, you should follow the same rules and have the same duties along with all the rest of the citizens of the United States.
ReplyDeleteJoseph Waters PSCI 100.03
I think that you should be considered a U.S. citizen if born in America unless of course your parents were illegal immigrants meaning you weren't suppose to be born here anyways. But I think just living a certain number of years in the U.S. should continue to be a way to acquire citizenship. You shouldn't need to pass any test and things of that nature.
ReplyDeleteDeandre Montgomery
PSCI 100.04
Hmmmm... A very good question! First of all, I have to question anyone's motives for seeking removal of birthright citizenship. We are supposedly tge great melting pot so anyone willing to go through the proper measures to become a citizen should absolutely be permitted to do so. I understand how it's a touchy subject especially when dealing with the issue of illegal mexican immigrants purposely having children across america's boarders for their children to be citizens. Honestly, I'd have to say good for them. If they think their child will have a better life here, then they've done the right thing. While it does happen, I seriously doubt that in most cases such as this the parents don't seek citizenship out of blatant disregard for american laws. Its much more likely that they'd themselves also love to be citizens but its a long process and I believe does cost a considerable amount of money for certain tests and such (I'm not positive about it costing money byt I'm pretty sure). I think it would just be a huge issue to adopt any other system of citizenship in the US. Citizenship that had to be bought or earned through military service would put lower class individuals at even more of a disadvantage. and if it were a test, public service, or societal cobtribution then where would children fall? I just think that birthright makes the most sense.
ReplyDeleteNikki-Lynn Lloyd
Psci 100.03
As bad as it may be, that kids of our generation know less about the history of the country that we are a citizen of than people moving here and having to pass the tests to become the citizen, I think it is totally fair. You dont have to take a test or even know anything about this country to become a citizen if you marry someone that already is one. If citizenship was aquired in some other form, it may cause a controversy because someone is going to try and do as little as possible to become a citizen when another person may exceed the expectations by alot. Then, is that person more of a citizen? It would become something like power, or maybe even an insult.
ReplyDeleteMorgan McDonald psci 100.04
I Think if you were born and raise in the U.S the you should have the rights to be consider as a U.S. citizen other wise if your parents are more like illegal immigrants and that wasn't born in the U.S. I know my great grand mother is a illegal immigrant but she consider herself as a U.S citizen because of how long she been living here. I don't think it should be purchase or anything else but i do believe the only other i might say could work would be serving in the military.
ReplyDeleteKevin Williams 100.04
I think being born in the US is an efficient way to become an American citizen, but I think it needs to be within reason. If someone runs across the border and has a child, i think there are some restrictions to that, as in maybe that person should pay a certain amount or maybe they have to serve in the military or take a test on American hisory or current affairs to be able to qualify for citizenship.
ReplyDeleteBeing born in the US to American citizen is enough, but born to an illegal immigrant needs to have some type of restriction on it, I believe. The idea of a test or determining how much that certain person contributes to society would be a good way to determine citizenships on that situation. Military service may be a bit much and may be going against some basics rights and would lead to an over abundance of people in the military.
Alex Bentley
Political Science 100.03
I agree with the way things are today with citizenship being based on location of birth but can be changed with the proper paper work. But I definitely see things changes in a few decades. If women and other races can gain rights in the way that the country has changed in the last century then the immigration laws will also change.
ReplyDeleteWell I would like to start off saying that I was not born in this country or anywhere that the United States owned territory. Fortunately for me my parents are both U.S. citizens so becoming a citizen was very simple. As far as illegal immigrants coming into this country and having children in this country, they have obviously found a flaw in the system. I do think that citizenship should be determined by birthright because if you are born in this country then you are a technically a citizen. Now I do like the idea that if you really want to become a U.S. citizen you should have to serve in the military.
ReplyDeleteGreg Woodward
POLI SCI 100.04
I agree that if you are born in America than you are considered a U.S. citzen because as you grow up thats all you know. However if both of your parents are illegal i believe that they should have to take some sort of test or maybe do some sort of service because they now have a child who is conidered a U.S. citizen so they need to be too.
ReplyDeleteJordan Dixon
PSCI 100.04
I think that citizenship should be determined by birth. If immigrants want to come to american and be a citizen then they should get empolyed, and obey the laws. I dont agree on if immigrants want to be a citizen then they have to serve in the military.
ReplyDeleteKrystal Hambright PSCI 100.05
I believe there should be several ways to become a citizen. I do not necessarily believe that an illegal immigrant can have a child in this country and that automatically makes that child a citizen. I come from a military family and all 3 of my siblings were born in other countries. My mother is not an American citizen, she is considered a permanent resident. If a woman traveling from another country stopped on a layover in the states and just so happened to give birth that means her child would be an american citizen? There should be lines drawn somewhere and procedures that are followed for someone to gain citizenship.
ReplyDeleteDanielle Francesconi-Wolford
psci 100:3