Proposed Arizona law targets "birthright" citizenship

[Times Roman]

Your thoughts?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110128/...ration_arizona

PHOENIX (Reuters) – Arizona Republicans introduced legislation on Thursday seeking to challenge the right to U.S. citizenship for children born in the state whose parents are illegal immigrants or other non-citizens.

The move by state legislators came the same day the sheriff for Phoenix and surrounding areas sent a force of 200 deputies and citizen volunteers on an immigration sweep, an action the controversial lawman has undertaken periodically since 2008.

Republicans introduced bills in the Arizona legislature that aim to provoke a legal review of the 14th amendment to the Constitution, which anchors citizenship rights for the children of immigrants.

The 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof."

It was adopted in 1868 after the U.S. Civil War to ensure citizenship for former African-American slaves.

The aim is "to trigger ... a Supreme Court review of the phrase 'subject to the jurisdiction thereof' in the 14th amendment," said Rep. John Kavanagh, one on the backers of the legislation.

It ultimately seeks "to deny citizenship to any child born of parents who are not citizens of the United States, be they illegal aliens, or foreigners on business or for tourist purposes," he added.

A total of four proposals were introduced, two in the state House of Representatives and two in the Senate, where Republicans have a majority.

Kavanagh said the legislation would likely come to a vote in several weeks, after legislators vote on the cash-strapped border state's budget.

SHERIFF'S SWEEP

In Phoenix, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio on Thursday kicked off a sweep to crack down on illegal immigration.

Aside from his deputies, Arpaio also relied on volunteer members of a newly formed Illegal Immigration Enforcement Posse, who took to the streets in a two-day countywide operation targeting drop houses, drug activity and human smuggling, said sheriff's spokesman Sergeant Jesse Spurgin.

Action flick star Steven Seagal is a member of the sheriff's posse, and he took part in the operation, Spurgin said. Twenty-two suspected illegal immigrants had been arrested by late Thursday, he said.

The legislation Arizona lawmakers introduced on Thursday is part of a coordinated drive by Republican legislators in several U.S. states that seeks to deny birthright citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants.

The National Conference of State Legislatures said Arizona is the sixth state this year to introduce legislation relating to birth records or birth certificates and the foreign born.

The current drive follows the desert state's tough immigration crackdown last year that required police to quiz those they suspected were in the country illegally about their immigration status. Key parts of the state law were blocked by a federal judge before they came into effect.

Arizona has appealed the ruling.

Also on Thursday, a citizens' group took out petitions to recall Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce, a high-profile Republican behind bills aimed at illegal immigrants.

Halina Reed, treasurer for Arizonans for Better Government, said the group opposes those bills. The petition needs to collect 7,756 signatures by May 27 to qualify for the ballot.

State Democrats slammed their Republican colleagues' latest proposal as a waste of "taxpayers' time and money" that would tie the state up in further costly litigation.

"Instead of focusing on jobs, the economy and a strong future for Arizona, (the backers of the law) want to get Arizona involved in another losing lawsuit," state Sen. Kyrsten Sinema said in a statement.

(Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis and Jerry Norton)

[Ernst]

Citizenship by blood is common in Europe, and long overdue here.

[Times Roman]

It will never become law

[thegodfather]

I think its a great proposal. The intention of the birthright citizenship amendment was never to confer citizenship to people who illegally entered this country and then had kids here. Ending birthright citizenship to non-citizens would reduce the INCENTIVE to go through the trouble of entering our country illegally (i.e.- BREAKING INTO THIS COUNTRY), and would help to keep these CRIMINALS inside the borders of their own country. Every illegal alien is a CRIMINAL in my opinion, and in the eyes of the law as well. Once you have entered our country without permission, you are a criminal, you have violated US law.

Progressive liberals can suck a fat one.

[SlimmerMe]

wasn't it originally intended to give slaves citizenship?

[Ernst]

I think its a great proposal. The intention of the birthright citizenship amendment was never to confer citizenship to people who illegally entered this country and then had kids here. Ending birthright citizenship to non-citizens would reduce the INCENTIVE to go through the trouble of entering our country illegally (i.e.- BREAKING INTO THIS COUNTRY), and would help to keep these CRIMINALS inside the borders of their own country. Every illegal alien is a CRIMINAL in my opinion, and in the eyes of the law as well. Once you have entered our country without permission, you are a criminal, you have violated US law.

Progressive liberals can suck a fat one.

Gee, you'd love California. Make sure to practice your Spanish, and leave your guns at home.

[clemont51]

These mixed race people, called "mestizo", are the scourings from south of the border. IQ 85! Living in AZ I can assure that everything they touch, be it a town or a neighborhood, turns to crap. These people are prolific breeders and add to
population problems. Only the USA is stupid enough to tolerate their presence. It is estimated that an illegal alien family costs taxpayers about $89k per year. They race across the border just to squat and dump another one on US soil.
America needs massive deportations of illegals to include asians and europeans.
"Anchor babies", like DDT, are toxic.

For an overview google: "NumbersUSA"

[chemicalromance]

These people are prolific breeders and add to
population problems. Only the USA is stupid enough to tolerate their presence. It is estimated that an illegal alien family costs taxpayers about $89k per year."

How is that any different than countless single white american females who have and raise their children on my taxpayer dime? Odds are they barely have a job(no health ins or taxes paid), are too young/stupid to afford a child birth, or are just plain mooches. There's people using the system all over this country. My own brother grosses about $110k/year and he and his gf have two children by this method. On paper, his gf is single without a home, the worst thing he can do financially is get married, god bless america...

[clemont51]

I believe you will agree that American citizens should always come first. Yes, there is cheating. Punish when caught. There are up to 20 million illegal aliens
in America. Would you be willing to pay for their medical care? You do now as
they simply check into any emergency room. Most do not pay taxes, working "under the table" for sleazy business types. The mestizo, one's you see in the mug shots, are unwanted in their homelands. I live in a small town of 20K. Last year our little hospital lost $2 million treating illegals. There humane removal
would slash law enfocement costs. I challenge anyone to make a case for tolerating illegal aliens.

[Ernst]

American citizens should always come first? Have you ever seen an episode of Maury or Jerry Springer? Maybe we can organize some kind of trade system with other countries....

[chemicalromance]

I live in a small town of 20K. Last year our little hospital lost $2 million treating illegals.

I hear you on that one, i went to jr high and high school in az and my mom still lives and works as a registered nurse in tuscon. All she talks about is how many uninsured people they have to treat in the ER. But i would not put an american first if they are knowingly and deliberately using the system. A mexican crossing the border and having an anchor baby and an american woman who doesnt want to get health insurance having a baby are gonna cost me (a self employed tax paying american man) the same money. The mexican is gonna cost me in taxes by working under the table to buy groceries. The white chick is gonna cost me in taxes by putting the groceries on her link card. My taxes will pay for the birth of both babies.

[Tigershark]

Apraio is a freaking nut. He wanted to stop drugs in Arizona couple years back and proposed random vehicle searches on the highways. It had to be explained to him very slowly that it was unconstitutional. I agree this law will never pass.

[clemont51]

Here are some stats on medical costs of illegal aliens:

http://www.fairus.org/site/News2?pag...s_iv_ctrl=1007

When illegal alien parents are deported they will take the younger "anchor babies"
with them. Those staying behind will naturally be drifting toward hi-tech careers.
Expect Harvard, MIT, Caltech, Hopkins, to be swamped with highly qualified
mestizo applicants.

[Times Roman]

wasn't it originally intended to give slaves citizenship?

yess

[tjax03]

Here are some stats on medical costs of illegal aliens:

http://www.fairus.org/site/News2?pag...s_iv_ctrl=1007

When illegal alien parents are deported they will take the younger "anchor babies"
with them. Those staying behind will naturally be drifting toward hi-tech careers.
Expect Harvard, MIT, Caltech, Hopkins, to be swamped with highly qualified
mestizo applicants.

Is there something wrong with that? Should they not be trying to better themselves if they can?