PHOENIX - The nation faces tough questions in tough times, and there are people on both sides of every issue.
Arizona is no different. But who’s saying what about the issues important to Arizonans?
Each Sunday, ABC15.com debuts an Arizona issue - along with two opposing sides on the topic.
Don’t worry, you always have the opportunity to make comments at the bottom of the page. Yeah, your opinion matters, too.
This week we're tackling the debate on whether or not the birthright citizenship bill is good or bad for Arizona.
State Senator Ron Gould (R) of District 3 says the fourteenth amendment is being severely misapplied today. Gould says hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants are crossing U.S. border to give birth, using their children as “anchors” to help pull themselves into permanent residency. Gould says we need to remove the incentive for illegal aliens to cross our borders to have children, simply so they can receive financial benefits in the form of Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars.
State Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D) of District 15 says our government codified its long-standing practice of granting citizenship to all born on our soil when the Fourteenth Amendment passed. Sinema says this bill violates the Fourteenth Amendment, and it violates the spirit of our founding fathers’ vision of what makes America the great nation that it is. She says Senate President Russell Pearce and his friends want to get Arizona involved in another losing lawsuit, challenging the U.S. Constitution about U.S. citizen children.
So, is the birthright citizenship bill good or bad for Arizona?
Click "next page" to read the first of two positions, “A promise made by our forefathers"
“A promise made by our forefathers”: By State Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D) of District 15 Bear arms. Peacefully assemble. A fair trial.
The U.S. Constitution upholds fundamental rights all Americans can enjoy. It protects those rights and holds far-reaching government accountable. One of the promises made by our forefathers was a promise for the future – the promise that all people born in the United States are American citizens. Simple enough, and perhaps something most Americans don’t worry about when they are working to put food on the table or making tough decisions now that they can’t afford health care or college tuition for their kids. But Republicans, who control all of state government, have decided to focus on yet another waste of taxpayers’ time and money by undermining this great American promise.
Senate President Russell Pearce and his friends want to get Arizona involved in another losing lawsuit, challenging the U.S. Constitution about U.S. citizen children. It’s just another personal political battle he has waged at the expense of Arizona taxpayers instead of working to create jobs and balance the budget. That’s why, now more than ever, we need to hold government accountable to We the People.
Arizonans believe in a government that is on their side, one that is honest and effective. But Republicans, who control all of state government, introduced the birthright citizenship bill this week, completely wasting taxpayers’ time and money. The bill challenges the Fourteenth Amendment and would no longer grant citizenship to all children born here in our country. In fact, this bill would also deny citizenship to American children born to American military families serving our country overseas. That’s not the America that we know, and it’s not the America that we love.
This is unconstitutional. Our founding fathers envisioned a country that provided safe harbor, security, and protection under the law to all its citizens. When the Fourteenth Amendment passed, our government codified its long-standing practice of granting citizenship to all born on our soil. This bill violates the Fourteenth Amendment, and it violates the spirit of our founding fathers’ vision of what makes America the great nation that it is.
Moreover, this bill will only lead to another lengthy and expensive losing court battle that will completely waste our tax dollars. This bill does nothing to solve Arizona’s real immigration problems. Republicans should try standing up for real immigration reform instead of another political battle that solves nothing and costs money, As a Democrat, I support:
• Tough immigration laws that arrest and deport human smugglers, drug traffickers and crack down on corporations that hire illegal immigrants.
• Fighting to give our hard-pressed local law enforcement agencies the tools they need to keep our families safe.
• Pushing for the federal government to finally step up and secure the border.
By pushing an unconstitutional bill that is guaranteed to fail, Republicans are not on Arizonans’ side. It’s just the latest example of their wrong priorities, and unfortunately for Arizona, we’ll see more to come. It’s time we all hold them accountable for their irresponsible actions.
Do you agree with this opinion? Add a comment below to sound off.
Click "next page" to read the second position, “Fourteenth amendment is being severely misapplied".
“Fourteenth amendment is being severely misapplied”: By State Senator Ron Gould (R) of District 3 The Fourteenth Amendment was ratified in 1868 in order to grant citizenship to and protect the civil rights of recently freed slaves following the Civil War. Since its passing, the idea of birthright citizenship has always carried with it the stipulation that the definition of “citizen” include “every human being born within the jurisdiction of the United States of parents not owing allegiance to any foreign sovereignty.”
Today, the fourteenth amendment is being severely misapplied. Hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants are crossing U.S. border to give birth, using their children as “anchors” to help pull themselves into permanent residency. They get access to jobs while simultaneously costing American taxpayers $113 billion per year (nearly $1,117 per individual taxpayer).
It is clear these illegal aliens have an allegiance to a foreign sovereignty, namely the country they left. As specified by Rep. John Bingham, one of the proponents of the Fourteenth Amendment, it has always been the allegiance of the parents at the time of birth that determines the child’s citizenship—not geographical location. Natural born citizens are those who are born in this country to parents who are citizens themselves.
We need clarification from the U.S. Supreme Court on this issue. We can’t have nameless bureaucrats in Washington making these important decisions. The high court has never weighed in.
I have received numerous questions from my constituents about the “Anchor baby” issue and I feel this legislation has the support of our citizens. We need to remove the incentive for illegal aliens to cross our borders to have children, simply so they can receive financial benefits in the form of Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars. Our nation’s immigration laws must first and foremost protect and serve the interests of its citizens and not those who are here unlawfully.
Do you agree with this opinion? Add a comment below to sound off.
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