Senate Democrats pushed back Tuesday against Republican demands to change a part of the 14th Amendment that grants U.S. citizenship by birthright to children of illegal immigrants.
Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and GOP Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.) have called for hearings on the amendment, while Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has called for elimination of the provision.
The arguing is over the Citizenship Clause to the 14th Amendment, which was adopted in 1868 during the Reconstruction era. The clause was intended to reverse the 1857 Supreme Court decision in the Dred Scott case that denied citizenship to African-Americans. The Supreme Court subsequently interpreted the clause to mean that children born in the United States have an inherent right to citizenship.
Republicans maintained Tuesday that modern times present a much more difficult situation, with immigration stressing the country’s resources and dividing the country.
“I’m supportive of [changing the provision] because at the time the amendment was put in, transportation was different, the environment was different and we didn’t have as much crime,” said Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.). “Just a lot of things were different.”
Democrats say the calls are merely election-year politics that shamefully target children.
“It’s outrageous,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). “To target children on this makes no sense. It’s the Constitution. It’s what we’ve done our entire lives. It’s all about politics and Republicans trying to gin up their base. It’s one of those distractions that just puzzles me.”
“The Republicans have to decide if they only like one amendment, which is the second,” said Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), referring to the right to bear arms. “I happen to like all of the amendments. They just seem to like only the second one.”
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8 comments:
I'm in support of this if they make it retroactive and kick everyone out that can't trace their linage back to a man or woman in this country before USA was formed. If your family wasn't around to fight the revolutionary war then GTFO. That will teach those bastards!
The constant re-election of Mikulski is an embarassment to the state of Maryland.
They're only "strict contructionalist" when it suits them. A$$ wipes.
Shouldn't the tea party members side with Democrats here. Based on what I can understand from their "platform", doing otherwise would be hypocrisy
Sorry to go against the grain but we cant just pick and choose what parts of our Constitution we like and edit it like a book report.
I agree that we should not be able to pick and choose which parts of the constitution suit our needs and be able to change them when they dont suit our needs.. However, I do think that something needs to be done so all of the illegal immigrants cannot claim asylum because they are coming here and having kids. People who support the immigrants are turning to the Constituition to protect them from deportation.
If the parents cant find work they will leave and take the children with them, stop hiring them it is a crime against the state.
2:31 do you realize that the minor children will become wards of the state (foster homes, welfare, etc.) Illegal is illegal, it doesn't matter if the child was born here. If the parents are illegal then the children are illegal.
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