H.R. 133 would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to deny citizenship at birth to children born in the United States of parents who are not citizens or permanent resident aliens.
Detailed Summary
Citizenship Reform Act of 2007 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to limit automatic citizenship at birth to a child born in the United States who was born: (1) in wedlock in the United States to a parent who is a U.S. citizen or national or is an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence who maintains such residence; (2) out of wedlock in the United States to a mother who is a U.S. citizen or national or is an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence who maintains such residence; or (3) out of wedlock in the United States to a father who is a U.S. citizen or national or is an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence who maintains such residence, but only if a blood relationship between the father and the child is established by clear and convincing evidence, the father had U.S. nationality or was a U.S. permanent resident at the time of the child's birth, the father (unless deceased) has agreed in writing to provide financial support for the child until the child reaches 18, and, while the child is under 18, the father either acknowledges paternity under oath or paternity is established in court.
Defines "born in wedlock" to exclude common law marriages.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 2/2/2007: Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
rolando c
I just have one thing to say. IT'S ABOUT TIME.
R.YW
Amen. It's pretty sad that these kids are PRIVELIGED with citizenship in our great country bercause their parents BROKE THE LAW.
jake
Right on!! Whether they were brought here at the age of 2 or birthed here, they're all illegal to me if their mom is. Even those who grew up here and went to school here, it's time to deport them all. Sure, they don't anything about life in Mexico, they will face lives of violence, corruption and poverty, but there is no such thing as a Mexican American citizen. Once a Mexican, always a Mexican, I say. Punish the kids for the crimes of the parents, it's the American way. It's only fair, just like inherited slavery. Oh, wait, did I type that out loud?
Jared
According to this Bill students that grow up and attend American schools would have to be deported due to their illegal citizenship, probably of something that had no prior knowledge of. Its not fair to the child who didn’t know they weren’t an American citizen
Karen
Children should not be made to suffer for the sins of their parents. Just because the parents broke the law, does not mean the child should not get the same privileges as any other child. Would you agree with having the child of murderer having to finish his sentence of 250 years just because he died before he had to finish it? NO. So why should the child of an illegal immigrant be punished.
Anonyma
The parents made these kids illegals. These kids will be able to sponsor their entire foreign extended family when the child reaches 21. This "birthright citizenship" is a magnet that attracts illegal immigrants. These kids' complaint is with their parents, not the United States.
Brena
It is ABOUT TIME!!!
Warren
The bill would exclude those who are born to illegal aliens in the future, not retroactively. This would serve to discourage those who would come here illegally just to give birth so that their children would be citizens automatically and would be then be allowed to bring all their relatives into the country as well.
Becky
If automatic birthright is such a great idea, then why is it that we are the only country that allows it? Tell me in which other country you can give birth and the child is automatically a citizen of that country? This may have been good for the U.S. in the past, but times have changed and our laws need to change accordingly.
Roger
This is a good bill and could pass if it is not ammended as it goes through committees with "pork" and other issues that have nothing to do with aautomatic citizenship. Let's let our congress representatives know that we support a "clean" HR 133.
VIRGINIA
Before anybody else makes any negative comments on this issue, check out the site usillegalaliens.com article titled The Dark Side of Illegal Immigrants
Denise
What part of ILLEGAL are you not getting? If the parents are here illegally then the kids were born here illegally. Sorry but go home or go to jail. Illegal means Not legal no matter what the circumstance.
bob
Karen, you refer tolegal family unit in USA with UR example. The illegals are not legal family unit. You compare apples &oranges
bob
Yes, USA = 'country of immigrants' who created the system we have today w/all benefits ie social security,welfare,etc,, for the very ones who created it-not those who wish to barge in and take what they dont deserve.
Steve
We need this to pass. Our resources are being stretched too thin. We work hard for the little that we have, these people come here and get everything given to them.
win
Its so odd that a humanitarian argument is used to perpetuate this. Yes, the child may be deported if illegal. On the other hand the child is still the same nationality as his parents, which works to keep families together.
This policy of having the child born here become a citizen automatically while the rest of the family isn't a citizen is just wrong! It isn't nice or respectful to families.
It also increases the issues with immigration in general.
This law would benefit the U.S. and its citizens, while also keeping families together.
RPP
While this bill does have the potential to reduce the splitting of families when immigrants are dragged from their homes in the middle of the night by vigilantes who would now be permitted to drag the children too, in all it stems from a gross misunderstanding of the problems of immigration. It effectively punishes people for trying to not starve to death in their own country. And it prevents good people from trying to provide their family with a better life. Surely some of you can appreciate that—especially since a great majority of you descend from immigrants.
The addition of language specifying wedlock is offensive. Quite frankly, they are imposing religious overtones into legislation. No specification should be made for against marriage as an existing condition during child birth.
buzzbinator
This bill must pass, and should be made retroactive to the 1986 amnesty. 70% of births at Pasadena, California's Huntington Hosptial are to illegal immigrant mothers. Nearly 400,000 new anchor babies born per year in this country since the last amnesty. This is a huge demographic shift that is extremely damaging to our social fabric and our future. 40% graduation rates among Latino anchor baby high schoolers in Los Angeles. This bill must pass, but remember that another bill just like it didn't pass at the end of 2005. It's about time for the anchor baby debacle to end once and for all.
buzzbinator
This breaking up families line is being used constantly by open borders advocates like Kennedy and Feinstein and it's bullcrap. These children were illegally given citizenship in the first place. Their parents chose to break our laws and those choices have consequences. Deporting the parents along with their dependant children would send that message loud and clear. In fact, just as the felon loses his right to vote, these illegal immigrants need to be told that they have forfeited their right to ever become US citizens by their blatant disregard for our nation's right to sovereignty. Children born to US citizens are US citizens regardless of what country they are born in. This keeps families together in one nationality. Our gross misinterpretation of the 14th Amendement for the last forty years has been bad for the US and Mexico.
Brook
All of these comments assume the only issue at hand involves illegal immigration from Mexico. Remember that when you draft a law, it applies to all persons and may inadvertantly injure people who do not fall into the "most hated" category of the day. Our priorities change, the "children" who must not have citizenship changes over time, but laws stay the same. Would it be better to have an even larger population of "illegal" immigrants and children without citizenship rights living in the country without ties, obligations, or legal affection for the nation in which they live and grow up? Let's not be blind xenophobes and think critically about how laws work.
DR_Carl
This reform is long overdue. I'm tired of Mexicans coming across the border in Arizona to have their illegal status babies granted automatic citizenship and then have to support the illegal parents through welfare to live here.
davand
Dr Carl, you sound like a complete moron, Mexicans as you called, (like they are a different kind of human race), them have no access to welfare if they are illegal aliens. The vast majority of people on welfare are citizens of this country!!!Check your facts.
Edward
Better late than never.
I'm sick and tired of hearing " well it's not the child fault". SO WHAT!! I do not want any of my tax dollars supporting any illegals and that includes the anchor babies, period. Anchor babies are costing us $6,000,000,000 a year ( see http://www.aim.org/special_report/5511_0_8_0_C/ ). This is another incentive for illegals to come here because they know there children will get free medical, free food. free education, free,free,free.
Kenny
Dear Jake,
Im sorry but
Your comment is quite foolish. I dont believe you should punish a child for the crimes his/her parent commits ,and im positive thats not the "american" way but more like your way. If they went to school here and grew up here, they have just as much a right to stay here as anyone else does, no matter what their parents did. I do agree with parts of the bill dont get me wrong, but the idea of "punishing" their children is foolish. And who said the bill is geared towards just "mexicans". Some of you speak as if they are a different species. Im not even gonna touch on the inherited slavery comment because then i might "accidently" type something and look foolish myself
Why can't we just get along?
Those that are for the bill, I believe are making a serious mistake. Children should never be made to suffer the crimes of their parents. This bill maybe geared towards immigration in general, but this racism that many of you are spouting is geared towards Mexicans.That is just disgusting and sadding that people can hate an entire race. They're people just like us!
Why can't we all just get along?
My apologies. I meant to say "country, and it's citizens" instead of "race", because technically a race would be Hispanics, Caucasian, etc. I just realized my mistake.
Tori
Kenny...I'm pretty sure Jake was being sarcastic, dear...anywho. It could go both ways. You could look at the statistics, and how crappy it is that people can come here, have a baby to keep themselves here, not have to pay taxes, and reap all our benefits anyway. However, you could also look at the fact that they're desperate to get here because their country sucks and America is the only way out they can find. (this is, at least, MY crude understanding of the issue...)
kenny
Yeah Tori you make a good point i have many foreign friends and they discussed that they indeed come over to america as a escape from their countries problems. which is totally understandable. I mean i think people in america need to stop and look at it from their point of view sometimes. like if america was corrupt,etc. and sucked most likely people are gonna go to a better place ( whether illegal or not) and try to make a better life.
Gray
Kenny said, "...the idea of "punishing" their children is foolish."
I ask you, (and not just Kenny, all of you who argue that is unfair to punish the children for the crimes of their fathers), which is more foolish, to punish the children, or reward them for the crimes of their fathers?
Note of course I refer to punishment has the denial of citizenship, and reward as granting citizenship.
Bobby
Illegal immigrants work for under the counter money.. So they dont pay income taxes which hurts our economy and country itself. So if they want their kid to have the same opportunities as an american kid they should go apply for citizenship
Caitlin
Gray,
so your dad killed someone and you had nothing to do with it. but because your dad was a bad ass you are now to be punished. ya that seems pretty fair to me. i agree with kenny.
Chris
hmm how about this for extreme deport all people born to parents who are foreign nationals retroactive to the past 80 years and revoke their citizenship to boot.
me
Bobby, illegal immigrants aren't the only people who work under the counter. Citizens of this messed up country do it all the time. I don't understand how unhumane some of these comments are. What happened to being compassionate? I'm sure you would be if you were the one in such a position. Unfortunately for them, no one chooses their own birthplace!
Jake
This country was founded, created, and composed of pure immigrants. None of us, unless Native American, can truly trace back their ancestry to remain in the U.S. Our society has become very arrogant and selfish to start kicking people out and being selective of who they want immigrating here. Its very sad.