Two Republican Senators challenge birthright citizenship

Two Republican senators have just introduced controversial immigration legislation that is aimed at the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, in which it grants babies born in this country automatic United States citizenship.

Both Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and David Vitter (R-La.) proposed the legislation that would put limits on citizenship, that grants automatic citizenship which is granted by the 14th amendment. The newe proposal would require that anyone born in the United States have at least one parent who is either in the country legally, or is an active member of the armed forces, in order to receive “birthright” citizenship.

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But the resolution has no chance of passing, as in order to ammend the Constitution, it needs 2/3 of both chambers of Congress and ratification by three-quarters of the states. As it stands, now, those in support of the change says once a baby is born here, in the US, it is granted automatic citizenship, eve if their parents are both illegal.

“Closing this loophole will not prevent them from becoming citizens, but will ensure that they have to go through the same process as anyone else who wants to become an American citizen,” said Vitter in a statement.

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And so far, the Senate has not shown it is inclined to pass any major legislation on illegal immigration. Just last December the Senate failed to acquire enough votes to break the filibuster on House-passed DREAM Act, which would have created a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who came to the country as children, provided they attend college or join the military for two years.