Should a person be a citizen of a country just because they were born there?
By speakeasy
@speakeasy (4171)
United States
January 8, 2007 4:23pm CST
Personally, I think babies should only be a citizen of the country their parents are a citizen of. I am an American and my son was born on the island of Okinawa, which is part of Japan. His father and I are both US citizens and he is a US citizen not a Japanese citizen.
I think if this was the case in every country there would be a lot less illegal immigration going on in the world.
2 responses
@kellahinx (370)
• United States
8 Jan 07
Your child is an american citizen because of American citizenship laws. This law (amendment 14 of the constitution) states that "all persons born or naturalized in the united states, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the united States..." I know that I have read somewhere that the child born to American citizens abroad shall be an American citizen, but I can't find that in amendment 14.
A lot of countries offer a dual citizenship (although the US does not) meaning that is this were the case in your situation your child could choose whether or not he wanted Japanese or American citizenship.
A lot of other countries also offer the same type of citizenship to the children of their citizens born abroad. The problem isn't that the child is not, to use a typical example, a citizen of Mexico because he was born in the US, it is that the US grants him citizenship for being bron here.
I do not think this is a bad thing. Amendment 14 solidified the end of slavery by ensuring black people were granted citizenship. This law also makes sure that people who have been born and raised here aren't subject to undue punishment because of their ancestry.
If children of immigrants weren't citizens, where would we stop? 1 generation? 2? 15? If that were the case we would all have to leave except for the Native Americans, who mind you didn't even create this law.
Plus it also solidfies that these children are subject to the laws of the US. To be a citizen comes with rights and responsibilities that I think should be respected and offered to anyone who wants them.
Illegal imigration wouldn't be such a problem if we would make legal immigration easier.
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
8 Jan 07
We forced the blacks to come here, so yes, they should be able to be citizens. Ghana is willing to give them all citizenship no matter where they originated from if they want to emigrate. For immigration purposes, I feel that babies should be citizens of the parent's country of citizenship. If the parents have gone through the naturalization process then of course the baby would be a US citizen. But if the parents are immigrants - legal or illegal - the child should have citizenship in their own country. If they want to change citizenship later or go back to "their homeland" they should be subject to the same immigration requirements as anyone else. No special treatment just because Mom was on vacation or made a border crossing - legally or illegally just before they were born.
@dkr_1981 (209)
• India
8 Jan 07
interesting thought, but wht is the problem if he gets dual citizenship,after all, ur baby moght entitle u to a lot of facilities, social rights tht u are not aware of right now ,,just a thought,,
and all this is legal...anythng illegal has to be on much larger and mega scale..like human trafficking,staying put in a country illegally even after visa expiry...etc
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
8 Jan 07
But is he really entitled to those things from a country that we were only in for a couple of years while we were working there? He doesn't live there, speak the language, etc. Just because something is legal doesn't mean it is right. And a lot of people are going to the US, England, and other countries illegally when they are already several months pregnant just so their children will be born there and be "citizens" and get all those "entitlements" plus MAYBE get mom and dad a change in status from illegal to legal.
