Anchor Babies; The Gateway to the American Dream for Immigrants?
In the United States, each year, approximately 300,000 children are born to illegal aliens. By the interpretation of the 14th Amendment of the United States federal government, these children are granted immediate U.S. citizenship and, with it, a variety of federal, state and local welfare benefits. For many immigration reform activists, the debated issue lies in the government’s potential misinterpretation of the 14th Amendment in what has now created the term “anchor babies”. For election platforms, many election candidates will utilize the interpretation of the 14th Amendment to address anchor baby issues and immigration reform.
An “anchor baby” is a common term used to describe U.S. citizens born to an illegal alien birth mother within the United States borders. For many adults seeking improved living conditions, freedoms and liberties, entering into the United States, illegally while pregnant, provides optimal results in seeking an fast and efficient method to obtain citizenship.
In the United States, these anchor babies, in addition to receiving immediate citizenship and government benefits, will also be entitled to sponsor the immigration of family members residing outside of the U.S borders upon the attainment of age 21. This, in an of itself, translates into a significant population boom as the family members are, exponentially, permitted to entered the United States.
Issues facing the United States federal government, regarding the 14th Amendment, involve the loose interpretation of the intent of the amendment when it was written in 1866. Ratified in 1868, the intent of the amendment was to provide immediate citizenship to African American children, born during slavery, and specifically states the provisions of the amendment do not include those who are considered foreigners, aliens or those who are subject to control by another jurisdiction. Based on this intent, anchor babies, born within the United States borders to mothers of illegal alien status, may be granted immediate citizenship inappropriately. This is the debate before our government and will be the debate in future elections. However, the United States government has continued to interpret the amendment differently, thereby including all anchor babies into the citizenship status provided for by the 14th Amendment.
The conflict continues between the goals of the state versus the goals of the federal government. With state and local welfare and educational programs continually under financial strain, the added cost of educating the anchor baby population places a much greater burden on the local tax community. In this next election, the focus of immigration reform will continue to be at the heart of heated debate with federal, state and local officials guaranteeing results on both sides of the fence. Whatever the outcome, the fact remains, the United States continues to carry the burden for educating over 800,000 anchor babies. However, failing to educate these underprivileged children is against the American social policy and belief system.
In the next election, consider your candidate’s position with regard to immigration reform and weigh those opinions against your belief system and the concept of the American Dream. Become educated in the topics of reform and vote responsibly.
