Birthright citizenship originates as an act of Congress

Last week (Aug. 27) the Free Press offered a Guest Editorial – an opinion – from a liberal newspaper in a union-dominated blue state failing three times (in four years) to defeat conservative Gov. Scott Walker.

The piece attempted to connect Walker to Donald Trump and immigration policies deemed “extreme, logistically and politically impossible,” while touting paths to citizenship for illegal aliens as “humane and smart.”

Holding a lawbreaker accountable for a crime is inhumane? It’s smart to reward lawbreakers with exactly what they broke the law to obtain? Really?

Pew Research (April 2015) found Americans favor restriction and reduction of immigration levels: Whites – 72 percent, Blacks – 66 percent, Hispanics – 59 percent. Gallup (June 2014) found two-thirds of Americans wanted levels reduced, and Reuters (August 2014) found the same among nearly three-fourths of our citizens.

The editorial claims birthright citizenship “has been part of the Constitution (14th Amendment) since 1868.” Wrong! Ask Native American Indians whether it granted them birthright citizenship. They were not granted citizenship until 1923 by a simple act of Congress — no constitutional amendment. Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitutions grants to Congress the plenary/absolute/sole power to make immigration and citizenship decisions.

Contrary to what the editorial would have you believe, the U.S. Supreme Court has never affirmed birthright citizenship for children of illegal alien parents. Moreover, the author of the 14th Amendment (Sen. Jacob Howard) made it clear that birthright citizenship is not intended for all. Only a simple act of Congress is required to end the birthright confusion.

Couple birthright citizenship for all with chain migration (Hart-Celler, 1965) and the problem grows exponentially.

The editorial posed our immigration problem as a Hispanic problem. However, about 40 percent of those in the country illegally are not violators of our southern border, but individuals entering with legal visas and refusing to leave upon visa expiration.

The Heritage Foundation (May 2013) found that the yearly average cost (benefits less taxes paid, $24,721 –$10,334 for each illegal alien family) amounts to $54.5 billion per year – five years of such savings pays for the (“prohibitively expensive”) deportation of people who violate multiple laws every day.

Don Horner

Cheney