Citizenship in America is acquired in one of these ways: 1) born in America, 2) born outside America but taken appropriate tests to become a naturalized citizen, 3) or born outside America but then married an American citizen. In this blog post, I want to focus on number 1, which is called birthright citizenship.
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 believe citizenship should only be determined by birth unless if the child’s parents were already citizens of the country. If someone runs across the boarder illegally and has a baby there child should not automatically become a citizen. That is just a way of getting around the system. If the parents are legally in the country then there child should be considered a citizen. We need to regulate who comes in and out of our country, for the safety of the American people. If someone wants to become a citizen they should have to prove how bad they want it by doing a service to the country. This service could include military service or any service to help out the American community. They should also have to pass a written test, a drug test, and not have a criminal history.I believe a drug test would be good because we do not need any more drug addicts or criminals in the country.
ReplyDeleteBlake Hoffman PSCI 100.05
Blake,
DeleteI couldn't agree with you more. It isn't fair for individuals to just abuse the system and get away with it. If they come over to the US illegally just to have a child they must prove themselves able of staying. The child, unfortunately, gets the short end of the stick during this situation because it is not their fault the situation they were placed in. That does not make it fair or "legal" for the parents to just hop right over to US and try become citizens and blame the child. All of the steps you listed if they want to become a citizen I found were on point and i would highly advise as well. Great post and I am also hoping they decide on drug tests as well!
Shelby Pendergraft PSCI 100.04
If you are born in the united states, then you should be granted citizenship. If the parents of a child born in the united states are illegal immigrants, the child should not have to suffer because of the parents' choices or actions. If citizenship is only ever granted based on societal contribution, then there are a lot of people who are currently citizens who would not be. The united states is marketed as a free country where equal opportunity is given to all of its inhabitants, so to strip that away would change the idealogical basis that the country exists on.
ReplyDeletestephon hummer psci 100.04
I definitely agree with you. This is definitely the point I wanted to get at.
DeleteKyla Seaman PSCI 100.04
the child should not have to suffer because of the parents choices or actions. Hmmm, Well if a baby bird falls out of its nest because the parents didn't build it well enough its tragic AND its the parents fault. Children do suffer because of their parents decisions. That's life.
DeleteI believe that citizenship should be determined by birth unless their parents were already US citizens because some people try to come to the US and have the child so they can get the benefits of the United States. There are becoming more and more illegal immigrants coming into our country, we need to make sure the US citizenship isn't just being handed out to anyone. I came to the United States becasue i was adopted and i had to go through a lot of different court cases and such just to become a citizen, i beliebe to be fiar, everyone else should go through the same things I did. They should have to go through the ropes to become a US citizen if they want to be one that badly. I feel like we shouldn't just let anyone become a citizen because they could end up being someoe to harm our country, or be bringing illegal substances to our country. In order to be a citizen, they need to be able to show a form of money they have so they wont just live in a homeless shelter, they need to be able to prove they are drug free, and be able to show a sign of education if they are old enough. I feel we should also do background checks on everyone who wants to enter the country. A drug test is definately necessary because we shouldnt have anyone else contributing to the abundances of illegal ubstances here in the US.
ReplyDeleteKatlyn Frund PSCI 100.05
I believe citizenship should be granted by birth up until a certain age then taking a test should be required. I have seen many cases of people becoming illegal immigrants by staying longer than their visa allows them to. Sometimes it is due to economic reasons because they can't hire a lawyer or get a sponsor for their paperwork, but i believe if you truly want to receive the citizenship you got to work for it. Just like many other immigrants have done.
ReplyDeleteFernando Velez 100.04
I agree with Stephon. A child should not have to suffer from the choices their parents have made, and this country is meant to be a place for struggling immigrants to have a better chance at life. Taking a written test or charging for citizenship seems like classicism to me.Whether a child's parents are citizens or not, if a child is raised in this country they will be required to be educated and socialized in the public school system, so obviously they will be just as good as any other American child, if not better for being mulch-lingual most likely. It does make sense for immigrants like these children's parents to take a citizenship test, however, because they may need to learn English, and are probably not familiar with our political system, etc.
ReplyDeleteEmily Jones 100.04
I meant classism, not classicism.
ReplyDeleteEmily Jones
I agree with your statement. when illegal immigrants come into the country it puts the americans in danger for several reasons, we do not know what their past was in their country. i also agree with doing a service for the american community, i believe they should have to have background checks and serve in the military. we have to think about the americans safety first.
ReplyDeleteShanan Plunkett
PSCI 100.04
I agree with a few of my classmates with the statement that illegal immigrants that come into this country should have to submit to some type of test and background check to ensure that they are not harmful to U.S. citizens. I think that by granting a child citizenship at birth that is only going to increase the population of illegal immigrants in this country. If we agree to allow anyone who has a child here that it is okay to stay who knows where our country will end up in the years to come. Many people do not realize that some of these immigrants are harmful to the people who live in our country. Some of these immigrants may say that they want to come here for a better life, but how do we really know the motive of why they want to be in the U.S. so bad? By allowing illegal immigrants to have more rights than they do now in this country is only going to open up a can of worms that will do who knows what in the future. I think that if they want to come into this country that they should go about doing things the correct way and in the proper course of action.
ReplyDelete- Cassiana Roby PSCI 100.04 -
It seems that the current system is a natural way of determining citizenship, and in my opinion certainly should not be changed or abolished simply because of the immigration issues at hand. Immigration issues, although a completely different subject, should not be centered around getting people out of the country but simply determining the best and most efficient way of registering everyone.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it does also seem natural, and even more so, to determine citizenship based upon a predetermined amount of time that one has spent in the country. If a person has lived in this country for ten years, common sense seems to point towards that person is an American citizen. It seems that pride in lineage, i.e. ancestral nationality, and the work put into the land, among other reasons, are responsible for the concept of 'us and them' in the United States.
I believe that citizenship should be determined by birth but only if the childs parents are citizens of the country as well. For example, a child should not be a citizen if the parents,"hop the boarder" and then give birth. I believe the parents should have to take a test or something to become citizens of the United States before they give birth to their child. If one wants a better life for their child they will do what is necessary to do so.
ReplyDeleteTeather Smith
100.05
I completely agree with Teather. If the parents are not citizens/illegal immigrants, then their child shouldn't be considered a citizen even if you were born in America. I believe citizenship should be determined by birth if both your parents are citizens of America.
Delete--Keani Chinn
PSCI 100.05
I believe that birth in a certain country should grant you automatic citizenship; it only seems fair. In terms of earning a citizenship or being granted one, I believe that you should be able to be given citizenship no matter your situation. Many people tend to forget that America was founded by a bunch of immigrants. Many people go into this argument blind and fail to mention the history of this country. If you have lived in this country long enough, have a job, currently have an American residence, and are in good citizen standing, I believe that you should have the right to file and test for a citizenship. Many family are displaced from their homes far all sorts of reasons, and I believe that they too should have an opportunity to reside in the USA. The only thing that I would disagree with is purchasing a citizenship, even though obtaining a citizenship in the USA is an extremely expensive process.
ReplyDeleteThis is a touchy subject, from one perspective there’s America is founded on immigrants and what makes the country ‘great’ is the ‘melting pot’ blah. Then my one sided view angers people. Because all I see are the people who hop the border, squat out a child and live off government aid because their child is an American. There is a block in Winchester I call “Little Mexico” The Mexican flag proudly waives on the stoop of the USA subsidies housing. The illegal parents use the USA issued WIC vouchers and food stamps on their American child, who at age 6 still doesn’t speak English.
ReplyDeleteI know how insensitive I sound. I am completely biased due to the fact I was raised in union family, proud steamfitters of the Local 602. My grandfather is well known as one of the best. Illegal immigrants steal jobs from hard working Americans. They will do back breaking work for half the pay for as twice as long. They get paid under the table so no taxes are paid, they do not contribute to the very institution who is giving them low cost housing, monthly food and educating their children.
SO NO, citizenship should not be a birth right. Being able to purchase citizenship cheapens it. It just gives the government more money to mismanage and blame on the tax payers. I like the idea of serving in the military, but is one 4 year term enough.. One thing’s for sure; you should not grant citizenship to someone who began their American life by breaking the law. If a family is living and working in American following the immigration laws and paying taxes and being contributing members of society they should be able to become Americans. Passing basic US history, communication skills and general knowledge should be tested. Government aid should be restricted, but I think this should be evaluated and restricted for everyone not just immigrants. Touchy, I can also trace my ancestors
Before discussing this topic in class, I believed that being born in America is what made you a citizen. After discussing it, I realized that just because you are born in the states does not mean that you contribute anything to society. Being a citizen not only means you reside in one place. I believe that doing a duty for your country would show pride in the place you come from and should be a means for citizenship. One should be able to choose where they please to become a citizen. Being born somewhere not only grants you "citizenship" in one place but it can also tie you down to a certain place. Therefore, a person should be able to choose where they want to be a legal citizen by showing pride in the place they do choose to be.
ReplyDeleteOlivia Amorati PSCI 100.04
DeleteThe way that I see it is that if you are born here, you're a citizen. While this may not always be fair when people cross the border to only have their child, they do it for a reason. They understand how hard it is to become a legal citizen of the United States, but they also understand how much their child can benefit if born here. While we may not see them as true citizens, they will grow up being an American. Not all of them will be contributing members of society, but neither are all of the "natural Americans". Yes, problems arise when people come here to only have children, but they do this to better their kids lives. The United States has been called the land of opportunity, and you never know what people can achieve if given the chance.
ReplyDeleteAustin Cline
PSCI 100:04
I think that the way citizenship works is fine. Honestly, how many people are hopping to border to have a kid in order to stay in our country? And, even if they are, is this happening enough to affect our economy as much as some allude to? Is this happening more than tax evasion? Probably not.
ReplyDeleteCassandra Nipe
PSCI 100.05
People born in the United States should be citizens of the USA. Did they choose to illegally cross the border? I don't think citizenship should be limited to people born here. If a person comes here illegally as a child, and they grow up here, they should also be citizens. A few years ago there was an act that was being discussed in congress. It didn't go through, but it dealt with giving illegal immigrants that grew up here a chance for citizenship. They either had to graduate from college or serve in the military for three years. The fact that they are denied a life here, simply because of a border is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteDanielle Fuhrmann
PSCI 100.04
I don't disagree at all with birthright citizenship. I mean, sure people hopping the border to have babies is a problemm, and it's not fair to the child considering their parents can be deported, but I think the parents should have the choice. It is hard to become a citizen here, but it's not easy anywhere. In reality, it might not seem fair, but life's not fair. Some people are born with a perfect life, other's aren't...
ReplyDeleteKyla Seaman
PSCI 100.04
Should citizenship be determined by birth? For me the answer is so much more and less. I think the U.S. by making the rule a blanket rule, failed miserably. There should have been an additional clause that stated babies born in the U.S., having at least one parent that is already a U.S. citizen. This idea isn’t perfect but it stands a little straighter under scrutiny. You will still get people who marry or marry and have a child just to get one or the other of them citizenship but it would eliminate most of the anchor baby mentality simply by removing its ability to work within the system.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a moot point. We are already overrun with illegal immigrants to the point that it would be impossible to find a quick solution. If we can’t send the illegal’s back, to many of them, way too costly etc etc. Let’s find a way to keep them and change them into good U.S. citizens. With the exception of being here illegally most of them are probably decent people like the rest of us. This idea is complex and long term but there are a few simple steps that we can begin with. Before we make sweeping changes to our citizenship status let’s modify the old rules on citizenship to include the proposition stated earlier. One parent has to be a U.S. citizen already. Then we can start grandfathering those people already here without generating another influx. I also believe that demonstrating your patriotism through military service or public service are substantial proofs that a person really wants to be a member of this country. Those ideas are worth looking into as well. One last measure, anytime there is an international soccer game and the U.S. team is playing, if your rooting for the other team, go home.
Joe Woodburn PSCI 100.05
Citizenship is a thing most people hold dear to them. It gives them something that they can feel apart of and have a place in. Citizenship should be allowed to outsiders not born in US as long as they can take the appropriate tests and so on. If we look into illegal allians coming over into America and having kids I believe this is unfair to other immigrants that worked hard to have their family become US citizens. I also believe that just because you are born in the territorial space doesn't make you a citizen. I think it should be if your parents are citizens and then you are born you carry the citizenship. If an alien were to come into America and wants their family a US citizen he or she should go through the process to become one. I have a really good friend who came to the US her freshmen year in high school from Russia, she has completed her citizenship in America not to long ago and I'm proud of her. I think everyone should have to do what she did and when they are done it really gives them the sense that they put in to become an American.
ReplyDeleteJeffrey Martin PSCI 100.04
I agree with everything Jeffrey has said in this comment. I think that immigrants should be tested, yes. There should be more crackdown on illegal immigrants, meaning actually doing checks on who is illegal and who is legal
Delete-Jessica Ott, PSCI 100:05
I have to agree with what many of my other classmates have said. I believe citizenship is not something that should just be granted to just by being born here, I believe that if you want to a valid citizen of this country then we should all have to work for it in some way. I think that having some kind of testing at a certain age would help in this process. Similar to some of the standardize testing that many of us took in Elementary school to High school, if we did not pass the test then we did not pass the grade or class. I think it is a similar concept here. I believe that if someone truly wants something then they should be willing to work for it. I think this sometimes people take advantage of the system and I think enforcing this would eliminate some of the issue there.
ReplyDeleteKayla Walker
PSCI 100.05
This is a touchy subject. However, the birthright citizenship seems like a pretty fair deal. Especially to those people whose family has been in America for generations. Now, when it comes to illegal immigrants being able to become American citizens because they had a baby here is a different matter. The way I see it is if they want to stay here then they should have to take citizenship test and all that jazz. It is a "birthright" citizenship...um, illegal parents, that doesn't include you! This of course is not a perfect system, nor will there ever be a perfect system of determining citizenship. Some of the above mentioned ideas are probable but I don't feel that any of them would get rid of the problem. In fact, they would likely create new problems of their own. (i.e. not everyone can afford to buy it, not everyone is physically capable of military service etc.) As of now, I think the birthright citizenship (and the other two ways) are the best bets we've got for now.
ReplyDeleteChloe Powers PSCI 100.05
The population of the United States is well-known for its sense of national pride and belonging. If there were no rules or regulations to acquire citizenship, then patriotism in this country might as well have never existed. I believe the requirements to become a US citizen are quite fair, but I don’t think those requirement are enforced nearly enough. Hopefully this statement doesn’t offend anyone, but there are far too many illegal immigrants in this country. I’m sure most illegal immigrants are hard workers and what not, but that labor is essentially being stolen from US citizens who are out of work. Granted, some US citizens are just plain lazy and employers thrive on the fact that they can pay an illegal immigrant less money to work even harder. While I may not know the perfect solution to this problem, I do know this: I’m a young, educated, and hard-working citizen of the United States of America and I am damn proud of that…..’merica!
ReplyDeleteWilliam Slifer -- PSCI 100.04
I believe citizenship should be determined by birth as long as one of the parents is currently a citizen of the United States. This way it narrows down the loop holes of how illegal immigrants can cross the border, have a baby, and now have their hooks in to be able to stay in the US instead of following the rules as other law abiding citizens’ do. However, I believe if a couple is living in the United States legally but are not yet citizens and they have a child; the child’s citizenship should be grandfathered over once the parents receive their citizenship.
ReplyDeleteMatt Santmier
PSCI 100.05
I believe that if you are born here, then you should be a citizen of the US no matter what. Baby's do not have a choice of when and where they are born, so why hold it against a child because their parents came here illegally. Besides there parents obviously came here for a reason. I knew a you woman that was born in the US and her family came here illegally when they were pregnant with her. They did that because they wanted her to have a chance to be successful. Now the young woman, daughter of two illegals, has a degree and a wonderful job and is very successful, and those chances may have been completely against her if she were born in outside of the US. Honestly I could really careless whether someone lives here illegally or not. It doesn't phase me or effect me one way or another, I am still going to live my life accordingly, and an illegal immigrant is not going to effect that either way. Actually, I know quite a few people that come from families of illegal immigration and they work their a$$'s off, and do a lot of work that people from here are obviously not willing to do. So if they are working and contributing to society then I don't see why its such a huge deal. I don't know about the part on how that would gain citizenship, maybe for the people that come here illegally, if they are making contributions they should be able to automatically become a citizens. I think serving in the military is actually a really good idea too, because that would show their commitment and love this country.
DeletenFrancesconi 100.04
I believe citizenship should be based on by birth because in my opinion any other option would take years to get established. Another reason would be because it would cost lots of money to have all these illegal immigrants to take citizenship tests, drug tests, background checks, etc. I am a citizen of the United States and my parents are immigrants who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. Many people believe that illegal immigrants come to have children in the U.S. so they have an easier chance of staying in the U.S. In most cases it's totally false, my parents came to America to have a better opportunity to improve the lives of their families and themselves which they didn't have in their country. Fast forward to today and my dad has been trying for over 15 years to become a citizen. My father has a job, pays his taxes, has never committed a crime, yet this past summer he was facing deportation. Becoming a citizen is not as easy as it may seem to people and I being a citizen of the United States does not benefit him at all. The majority of Americans should not believe it is easier for illegal immigrants to stay in the U.S. if they have a child because it's not true.
ReplyDeleteKenny Romero
PSCI 100.05
I think citizenship should be determined by birth. It's not like the kids have a choice where they are being born, so it is only fair that they gain citizenship in the US just like every other legal citizen that was born here. Also, if they live here their whole life they will grow up being just as educated about America as any other kid would be. However, I do not think that illegal immigrants should gain American citizenship only because they have a baby here. I think they should have to pass a citizenship test.
ReplyDeleteGeorgia Karr PSCI 100.04
I think that the best way to handle this is to stick with the old system. I do not think you should be able to buy your citizenship - we shouldn't have a black market citizenship program. I think that either being born here or working to gain citizenship with the test or marrying in here and then taking the citizenship test would be the best policy. NOT to allow individuals to buy citizenship. We as a country need to keep citizenship as a clear cut process, not something you can buy and acquire off ebay.
ReplyDeleteJordan Clark
PSCI 100.05
I feel as though they should stick with birthright citizenship because 9 times out of 10 the "illegal immigrant" took a big step and fought hard to get over here and most importantly stay over here. Also some of the immigrants make the choice to come over here to have a better life for their children. I feel that if anything they should be required to take a test at a certain age to prove that they are not just over here abusing their opportunities and adding to the unemployment number.
ReplyDelete