WASHINGTON, August 1, 2010
Kyl: Illegal Aliens' Kids Shouldn't Be Citizens
Wants Hearing on 14th Amendment Which Grants Citizenship to Children of Illegal Immigrants Born in America
By Jimmy So
(CBS) Updated Monday 1:44 p.m. ET
Sen. John Kyl, R-Ariz., said today that Congress should hold hearings to look into denying citizenship to illegal aliens' children born in the United States, as the fight over immigration widens into the explosive "birthright" issue.
Last week Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he was considering
introducing a Constitutional amendment to repeal a provision of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born within U.S. borders. Graham suggested that children born in the United States whose parents are here illegally should not automatically become U.S. citizens.
The
14th Amendment was enacted in 1868 to ensure that states would
not deny citizenship to former slaves. It reads, "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."
Arizona's Republican State Sen. Russell Pearce - the architect of the controversial immigration law that was largely struck down by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton - also separately proposed the same measure.
"The 14th Amendment [has been] interpreted to provide that if you are born in the United States, you are a citizen no matter what," Kyl said.
"So the question is, if both parents are here illegally, should there be a reward for their illegal behavior?"
FULL ARTICLE HERE:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/01/ftn/main6733905.shtml