Christina Chan
Churchill Junior High School
Rutgers Model Congress
Wisconsin – Republican
House Committee on Foreign Affairs:
Birthright Citizenship for Children of Aliens
A Constitutional Amendment passed to remedy injustices of the past is now being
taken advantage of. The 14th Amendment was passed in 1866, after the Civil war, to
prevent states from denying citizenship to anyone born in the United States. It was passed
to overturn the ruling in the case of Dred Scott v. Sanford, where African Americans
were ruled to be property, rather than people. This amendment to the Constitution gave
African Americans the same rights as every other American citizen. The 14th Amendment
was not, however, passed to allow illegal immigrants to give birth to American citizens.
Yet, that is what is happening more and more today. And the large numbers of these
children are causing multitudes of problems within the United States.
This abuse of the 14th Amendment is costing American citizens too much.
Children of illegal immigrants have been affectionately coined “anchor babies” because
they serve as an “anchor” for their family. From birth, they attain status as a US citizen
and government benefits. At the age of 21, they can sponsor their parents, and other
family, for American citizenship. An estimated 200,000 of these anchor babies are born
each year.1 American taxpayers must, then, pay for each child’s education, among other
things, totaling over $109 billion. In 2002, the state of Georgia, alone, spent $231 million
“CBP Border Patrol agents deliver baby girl.” U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/CustomsToday/2005/April/other/border_baby.xml. (Accessed: April 7, 2007).
1
educating these children.2 Hospitals have even been closed down, 84 in California,
because of “their non-reimbursed tax on the system.”3 These hospitals cannot deny a
patient medical attention, and must, therefore, render their services for nothing. These
children are not only costly to American taxpayers, but they are also a danger to the
health of everyone. Anchor babies “harbor fatal diseases that American medicine fought
and vanquished long ago, such as drug-resistant tuberculosis, malaria, leprosy, plague,
polio, dengue, and Chagas disease”, as stated in a report in Journal of American
Physicians and Surgeons.3 The drug-resistant tuberculosis was endemic in Mexico, but
with their illegal crossover into the United States, it is spreading through the United
States too. Tuberculosis can be treated with four drugs in six months, costing relatively
little: $2,000. The drug-resistant tuberculosis takes about two years to treat, and much
more expensive medicines, costing over ten times more (about $250,000) and with toxic
side effects. 3 This twisted interpretation and abuse of the 14th Amendment must stop.
There are two distinct views on illegal immigration and resulting birthright
citizenship, Wisconsin displaying both. Democratic Representative Tammy Baldwin is in
favor of amnesty for illegal immigrants, but not complete amnesty. She believes they
should be allowed to remain in the United States, but face repercussions for their
unlawful entry. Representative Baldwin thinks the illegal immigrants should come out of
the shadow, so they can be helped to stay in the country legally. Border control, she
believes, needs to be reformed, but without disrupting the lives of the people within. In
her opinion, building a fence along the Southern border of the Untied States is
George Putnam. “One Reporter's Opinion: 'Anchor Babies' Are Weighing Us Down.” Newsmax.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/2/9/211746.shtml. (Accessed: April 7, 2007).
3
“Illegal aliens threaten U.S. medical system.” World Net Daily.
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43275. (Accessed: April 7, 2007).
2
impractical and purposeless as it would “merely re-route unauthorized migration.”4
According to her beliefs, the illegal aliens, and presumably their anchor babies, should be
allowed to remain in the United States as citizens, or aliens in the process of becoming
citizens. Republican Representative, James Sensenbrenner’s, fervent opinions lie
elsewhere. He is clearly in favor of more border security and against allowing illegal
immigrants to continue residing with the United States. He argues, "Illegal immigration is
an expensive problem for law-abiding citizens. Americans and legal aliens have to pay
more for police protection, for classrooms to educate our children, and for hospital and
healthcare costs. This burden on the taxpayer is wrong. It undermines the economy, and it
puts undue pressure on people to pay even more in taxes to pay for those who are here in
America." Sensenbrenner proposed a bill, HR 4437, “to seek out illegal aliens and cut
federal funding for cities… that have sanctuary laws.”5 Some House Republicans have
even taken steps to end birthright citizenship.6
In theory, the solution to birthright citizenship is simple. With tighter border
control and theoretically less, or rather no, illegal immigrants, the problem would not
exist. Section 1 of the 14th Amendment states, “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.”7 Without the illegal immigrants giving birth to the
anchor babies, the interpretation of the 14th Amendment would not matter, and birthright
“Immigration.” Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin.
http://tammybaldwin.house.gov/issues_Immigration.html. (Accessed: April 7, 2007).
5
“James Sensenbrenner Not Deterred by Immigration Protests.” Newsmax.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/3/25/95355.shtml. (Accessed: April 7, 2007).
6
Emma Moscoso. “House Representatives Want To End Birthright Citizenship, Add Fences to Border.”
COX Newspaper: Washington Bureau.
http://www.coxwashington.com/reporters/content/reporters/stories/2005/12/11/BC_IMMIGRATION_HOU
SE09_COX.html. (Accessed: April 7, 2007).
7
“US Constitution – 14th Amendment.” US Constitution.
http://www.usconstitution.net/xconst_Am14.html. (Accessed: April 7, 2007).
4
citizenship would not be in question. Furthermore, with the current policy, deportation of
the illegal aliens is unlikely, as the anchor babies need parents to care for them. If
birthright citizenship is not reformed, American taxpayers will have to pay the
government more and more in order to cover the cost of the anchor babies and their
families. This would be unfair. The “anchor babies” should not be given birthright
citizenship as they are of no allegiance to the United States. As most European and Asian
countries require, at least one of the parents must be a legal immigrant or citizen of the
United States to be given birthright citizenship.
Birthright citizenship is a new issue that is beginning to stir the nation. The 14th
Amendment, once used to right the wrongdoings against African Americans, is now
being used by illegal aliens to give birth to American citizens. This was not the purpose
of this Constitutional Amendment, and the perverted use of it cannot be condoned.
Birthright citizenship must be reformed and applied only to the children of at least one
legal immigrant or citizen of the United States. Otherwise, the law-abiding citizens of the
US will suffer, economically and potentially in terms of their health. This cannot be
condoned. Reform is pressing.
Works Cited
“CBP Border Patrol agents deliver baby girl.” U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER
PROTECTION.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/CustomsToday/2005/April/other/border_baby.xml.
(Accessed: April 7, 2007).
“Illegal aliens threaten U.S. medical system.” World Net Daily.
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43275. (Accessed:
April 7, 2007).
“Immigration.” Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin.
http://tammybaldwin.house.gov/issues_Immigration.html. (Accessed: April 7,
2007).
“James Sensenbrenner Not Deterred by Immigration Protests.” Newsmax.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/3/25/95355.shtml. (Accessed: April 7,
2007).
Moscoso, Emma. “House Representatives Want To End Birthright Citizenship, Add
Fences to Border.” COX Newspaper: Washington Bureau.
http://www.coxwashington.com/reporters/content/reporters/stories/2005/12/11/B
C_IMMIGRATION_HOUSE09_COX.html. (Accessed: April 7, 2007).
Putnam, George. “One Reporter's Opinion: 'Anchor Babies' Are Weighing Us Down.”
Newsmax. http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/2/9/211746.shtml.
(Accessed: April 7, 2007).
“US Constitution – 14th Amendment.” US Constitution.
http://www.usconstitution.net/xconst_Am14.html. (Accessed: April 7, 2007).