Monday, May 15, 2006

Immigration, Citizenship and Bad Constitutional Law

Illegal immigrants can receive free schooling, legal advice, food and medical care. But the grand prize can be a American citizenship for their own child if it is born in the U.S. . Even if the parents are in the country illegally.

This is because of the twisted application of the 14th Amendment that was ratified in 1868. Section 1 of that Amendment provides, " 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." The original Amendment was an answer and a means to grant full citizenship to the newly freed slaves.

The problem about writing any law is the danger of it being taken out of the context when it was written and being twisted by lawyers. Attorneys get paid the most for breaking and/or twisting laws legally.

The 14th Amendment was not intended for illegals to have legal citizenship for their children. Congress will have to revisit that section of the Amendment and change the wording.

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