How Many Candidates Have ‘Taken Advantage’ Of Birthright Citizenship, But Oppose It?
*In case you were wondering, the list of “anchor baby” GOP presidential candidates isn’t short. Several were born in the U.S. to non-citizen parents, some were born outside of the U.S. They may want to rethink their 14th Amendment rhetoric. VL
By Esther Yu-Hsi Lee, ThinkProgress
Donald Trump is calling to “end birthright citizenship,” a demand that would mean the people born to foreign parents in America are no longer automatically U.S. citizens. And though many presidential candidates are now lining up to support Trump — some suggesting that immigrants are “taking advantage” of this part of the Constitution — this policy change could hit close to home for them.
[pullquote]“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.”[/pullquote]The Constitution’s 14th Amendment currently grants automatic citizenship to infants born on U.S. soil, including those who are born to immigrants, undocumented or otherwise. The amendment reads in part, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.”
It’s not entirely clear whether Trump’s plan should be taken seriously. [tweet_dis]Legal experts say that repealing birthright citizenship would require a constitutional amendment; others, like Rep. Steve King (R-IA), believe it would only require a change to federal statute.[/tweet_dis] However, Trump is currently the GOP presidential frontrunner, and some of his ideas are gaining traction among other candidates aiming to match his extreme immigration policy.
Had the United States previously taken this harsh stance to immigration policy, some presidential candidates’ own families may have been in trouble:
Click HERE to read the full list.
[Photo by U.S. Pacific Fleet/Flickr]
