Full Version: Children of Illegal Immigrants
It has been sometime since we here at America's Debate debated this topic and I think it's high-time we did.
Illegal immigrants have been coming in from the four corners of the globe for awhile now and they have been enjoying the benefits of the Fourteenth Amendment which states (paraphrased) that all babies born in the United States are hereby citizens, illegal or not.
Section One of the Fourteenth Amendment:
Questions for Debate:
1.) Should that right protect only babies born of legal United States citizens?
2.) If not then should families who illegally make it into our borders be separated if the child was born here and is a citizen?
3.) Should there be, if any, penalities for people who have their children in the United States to gain citizenship?
Yes I misspelled extended in the title. My mistake!
Illegal immigrants have been coming in from the four corners of the globe for awhile now and they have been enjoying the benefits of the Fourteenth Amendment which states (paraphrased) that all babies born in the United States are hereby citizens, illegal or not.
Section One of the Fourteenth Amendment:
QUOTE
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.
Questions for Debate:
1.) Should that right protect only babies born of legal United States citizens?
2.) If not then should families who illegally make it into our borders be separated if the child was born here and is a citizen?
3.) Should there be, if any, penalities for people who have their children in the United States to gain citizenship?
Yes I misspelled extended in the title. My mistake!
1.) Should that right protect only babies born of legal United States citizens?
No. - I can see why it is a complex issue, but I really think there is only one answer.
There was another topic, where we were debating which (if any) country was freer than any other. The general conclusion seemed to be that in the developed world (i.e. North America, Europe, Japan, Australias etc) everywhere was as about as free as anywhere else.
Bucket however pointed out that what made the US stand out from the crowd was that it extended these freedoms to ANYONE born on US soil.
Nowhere does that. Britain doesn't - to be British, you have to be borne on British soil and one of your parents must have some sort of 'right' to be here. In Germany or Switzerland its damn near impossible to gain citizenship unless your family has been in the country for aeons.
(Okay, I'll be honest, I don't know if Australia or New Zealand do or not. My gut instinct would be to say that they don't because immigration is a big issue in Australia.)
By granting citizenship to anyone born in the US, you are saying that the US views all people as equal - everyone should be given equal opportunities, regardless of who their parents where or where they came from. This is one of the great pillars of America - that all people are equal.
2.) If not then should families who illegally make it into our borders be separated if the child was born here and is a citizen?
Any country which seperates children from their parents based on where those children were born would be a cold hearted one indeed. I do not see much to debate here.
3.) Should there be, if any, penalities for people who have their children in the United States to gain citizenship?
I don't know - I have to say I believe that people should be able to live and work anywhere and that immigration is ultimately good for any country (provided that the immigrants contribute to the economy). So in principle I would say 'no'.
However, perhaps the child and parents should be deported and the child granted a US passport at 18? The great danger is that any penalty inflicted on the parents may ultimately affect the child, who is not to blame.
No. - I can see why it is a complex issue, but I really think there is only one answer.
There was another topic, where we were debating which (if any) country was freer than any other. The general conclusion seemed to be that in the developed world (i.e. North America, Europe, Japan, Australias etc) everywhere was as about as free as anywhere else.
Bucket however pointed out that what made the US stand out from the crowd was that it extended these freedoms to ANYONE born on US soil.
Nowhere does that. Britain doesn't - to be British, you have to be borne on British soil and one of your parents must have some sort of 'right' to be here. In Germany or Switzerland its damn near impossible to gain citizenship unless your family has been in the country for aeons.
(Okay, I'll be honest, I don't know if Australia or New Zealand do or not. My gut instinct would be to say that they don't because immigration is a big issue in Australia.)
By granting citizenship to anyone born in the US, you are saying that the US views all people as equal - everyone should be given equal opportunities, regardless of who their parents where or where they came from. This is one of the great pillars of America - that all people are equal.
2.) If not then should families who illegally make it into our borders be separated if the child was born here and is a citizen?
Any country which seperates children from their parents based on where those children were born would be a cold hearted one indeed. I do not see much to debate here.
3.) Should there be, if any, penalities for people who have their children in the United States to gain citizenship?
I don't know - I have to say I believe that people should be able to live and work anywhere and that immigration is ultimately good for any country (provided that the immigrants contribute to the economy). So in principle I would say 'no'.
However, perhaps the child and parents should be deported and the child granted a US passport at 18? The great danger is that any penalty inflicted on the parents may ultimately affect the child, who is not to blame.
1. Children born to illegal immigrants should not be citizens. We do not need to go so far as to restrict the right of citizenship only to children of citizens. The children of legal immigrants should be citizens.
2. The whole family including the child should be shipped back to where they came from. From there they can apply for legal re-entry.
3. Penalty, yes, immediate deportation.
2. The whole family including the child should be shipped back to where they came from. From there they can apply for legal re-entry.
3. Penalty, yes, immediate deportation.
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