Anchor Babies

     In my critical thinking class we had to participate in a debate with a fellow classmate.  My partner and I chose anchor babies.  Before this selection I have never heard of the term so I knew I was in for a treat.  For those of you who are in the same position that I was previously in an anchor baby is a baby who was born in the United States by an illegal immigrant.  Since the baby is born in the U.S. they automatically become a citizen.  As they grow older some use their citizenship to their advantage and put in a request that their family joins them in the U.S. That is where the term "anchor" comes in, they pull in more immigrants into the country the legal way.  Unsurprisingly, that causes a big fuss in the U.S. 
     In a Time magazine article one of the House of Representatives introduced a bill to exclude anchor babies from the 14th amendment which states : 

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.

SECTION 2.

Representatives shall be apportioned among the several states according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each state, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the executive and judicial officers of a state, or the members of the legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such state, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such state.

SECTION 3.

No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

SECTION 4.

The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any state shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

SECTION 5.

The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

   Excluding anchor babies from the 14th amendment is basically trying to prevent their citizenship if they were born here.  It is also said that they should not gain the same type of benefits that a U.S. citizen has. In another article from CNN they stress that the legal children of these immigrants have access to public and social services that our society provides.  They feel as if we are rewarding these immigrants by granting their child citizenship even though they have broken the law and illegally entered our country.  

     I am at a complete understanding as to where all of these legislators are coming from.  It is a touchy situation for many people, but it is also an important one.  But everything is simple.  If you were born here you are a citizen, it has been a common law from the beginning of the American nation.  Even if we were to alter the 14th amendment so that anchor babies would not become legal, a whole new group of problems will arise.  There will be arguments that fetuses are people under the 14th amendment which will cause even more abortion and speech issues.

    As far as anchor babies receiving benefits as an U.S. citizen, they are entitled to it.  There are plenty of immigrants out there working and paying taxes and not receiving anything back.  The children are just getting what their parents deserve.  
Honestly, a lot of congressmen and senators are realizing the increase of Latinos.  They know that once these children gain the right to vote they will be able to vote their oppressors out of office.