Russell Pearce - "this is a battle of epic proportions" - Anchor babies and the 14th amendment

Pearce Proposes 'Anchor Baby' Legislation
Pearce Announces Entry Into 'Battle Of Epic Proportions'

PHOENIX -- Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce said lawmakers in his state and others are combining to work on proposed legislation to deny U.S. citizenship to children born in this country to parents who are illegal immigrants, commonly referred to as anchor babies.

The efforts by the state legislators come amid calls to change the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment, which grants automatic citizenship to U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants. Supporters cite costs to taxpayers for services provided to illegal immigrants and their children.

"We've allowed the hijacking of the 14th Amendment," Pearce said in a news conference at the state Capitol on Tuesday afternoon.

Pearce, a Republican from Mesa, said that illegal aliens are incentivized to cross U.S. borders to give birth and use their child to secure illegal benefits, residency and American jobs for themselves and for their families.

Another Arizona legislator called the current policy "absurd."

"It's an absurd criteria, one that's the exception rather than the rule worldwide," said State Rep. John Kavanagh, a Fountain Hills Republican. "Worldwide, only 30 countries bestow citizenship on where you happen to be born physically, as opposed to your parents."

Pearce said the legislation has yet to be drafted, and he declined to comment on possible approaches, including whether it would focus on the issuance of state birth certificates.

Pearce also said that 300,000 to 400,000 babies are born in the U.S. to illegal immigrants each year, but he did not say where the statistics came from.

A number of protesters attended Tuesday's news conference. Some had signs. Others shouted questions.

Carlos Galindo-Elvira, with the nonprofit group Valle Del Sol, said the proposal to change the 14th Amendment is ridiculous, especially since Arizona is facing so many more important issues.

"We have a huge deficit and we've got a high unemployment rate," said Galindo-Elvira. "Wouldn't it make more sense to attack and address those issues before coming after babies?"

State Rep. Kyrsten Sinema said she opposes Pearce's plan to deny citizenship to U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants, and said there is "no way" this policy would ever take effect.

"We would see a massive increase in the number of undocumented persons who live in this country. That would only increase the burden on our country that we're suffering from today. So it's not a solution. In fact, it makes the problem worse," said Sinema, a Phoenix Democrat.

Research from the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute shows if birthright citizenship were denied to any U.S.-born child whose mother or father is an illegal immigrant, by 2050 there would be 24 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. If there are no changes to current law, the illegal immigrant population would remain around 11 million.

"If you double the number of people who lack proper authorization to be here, then you got double the number of people driving on the road who don't have driver's licenses or insurance. Yyou got double the number of people who you don't know if they're following the laws or breaking the laws," said Sinema.

Pearce was the main sponsor of a controversial Arizona law on illegal immigration and state and local law enforcement. Key provisions have been put on hold by a judge pending resolution of a legal challenge. He also was the chief sponsor of a 2007 state law targeting employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

While accepting questions from the crowd, Pearce said, "I will not retreat from this issue, this is a battle of epic proportions."

Source - http://www.kpho.com/news/25440233/detail.html