How ironic that the people who profess such loyalty to the Founding Fathers and the U.S. Constitution have launched a campaign hell-bent on subverting that document. Newsmax.com, an online voice of the conservative Tea Party movement, recently e-mailed a message to its subscribers on behalf of “NumbersUSA for Lower Immigration Levels,” one of its sponsors.
The message contains a form letter that it hopes its readers will print out and mail to their representatives. It says, in part:
Dear (Your U.S. Representative Will Appear Here),
I am concerned about the excessive population growth resulting from the automatic citizenship granted to the children of illegal aliens …
The letter concerns HR 140, the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2011. If it passes, the children of illegal aliens born in this country will no longer automatically be U.S. citizens. The bill was created to address the problem of “border babies” and immigrants who sneak across the border to have their babies so their children will be U.S. citizens.
But if birth within U.S. borders is not the fundamental test for U.S. citizenship, then what is? According to the 14th Amendment, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States” are citizens.
Queens has been affected by illegal immigration and border babies. No one knows how many illegal immigrants live here. Likewise, no one knows how many babies were born in Queens hospitals to parents who are here illegally. The dilemma facing Immigration and Customs Enforcement is how can you deport Mom and Dad if their baby is a U.S. citizen? The illegal immigrants have become a burden for the borough’s health-care and education systems.
Addressing this problem will not be easy, but the solution requires compassion and does not lie in obliterating the Constitution. HR 140 is the product of ignorance, fear and racism. Voting for it is un-American.
We do not believe there is one member of Congress representing any part of New York City who will vote in favor of HR 140.
But that is not enough. We urge these representatives to become vocal opponents of this legislation.
