ladygwennie

Oh definitely wouldnt be retro active, but i think the government here in the states needs to start to discourage ILLEGAL immigration. The 14th ammendment as it is currently encourages it.

JAJ

I am not suggesting it *shouldn't* be changed, but that if people in the US want a change in the law, it *needs* to change.

Under the Constitution as it stands, Congress cannot pass a law to restrict US citizenship by birth other than to children of diplomats. Or children of enemy aliens, but that's a murky area of its own as the UK experience with the Channel Islands during the Second World War showed.


Jeremy

ladygwennie

Oh i dont disgaree, the comment wasnt directed at u, im sorry lol. was just expressing my feelings lol. I know that it takes a hell of a lot to change the constitution, so theres very little chance that it would ever pass, but i think it would be beneficial if it was passed.

JAJ

The Founding Fathers deliberately made it difficult - though not impossible - to change the Constitution.

The Constitution *has* been changed before.



Jeremy

ladygwennie

Oh it can happen, but i think at very least the supreme court would shoot it down. But we shall see.

On another note i watched a show on tv a while ago that was documenting how people cross the mexican border to have their child in the states. I was quite amused when i saw that one big part of it, is well to do mexicans (doctors, lawyers etc) would come over legally to the states and drop their kid in a very nice hospital, just to give their kid the rights that come with us citizenship. now should that really be allowed? I understand the need for parents to want better for their children, but just seems some what underhanded.

Leslie

Perhaps this is an interesting phenomena but it is relatively insignificant to the "big picture" immigration problems that the US faces at the present.

mdyoung

Well that's one reason it's hard to get anything passed, because Senator or Congressman Windbag has Maria watching the kids and José cutting the lawn.

Isn't being an Au Pair one way to come here legally from the U.K. so aren't the illegals are screwing people out of doing that?

Leslie

Correct, many Au Pairs come here legally but then stay long after their visas have expired. I don't view them as societal pariahs and do not wish their children to be exported. I am posting my opinion based on a working class background. IMO, these people are no threat to our country.

ladygwennie

Just because illegal immigrants are illegally employed does not make it any way right, be it a senator or a layperson. They are technically taking away from others who could do the work and live well. If mexicans want to come to the states or any other country and work, they should get a damn permit or visa or whatever the way any other non resident/citizen has to.

mdyoung

Maybe you misunderstood what I was saying. I was that is there weren't so many illegal aliens being hired on there would be a greater need for people to come here legally to do the job.

There are millions here illegally that have just crossed the border and never have been here legally and continue to come. If we didn't watch the border everyone in Mexico would here. I'm sure the number of people that have overstayed their visa as an Au Pair is a couple hundred or maybe a thousand, so they aren't the problem. Everyone in the U.K. isn't trying to sneak in here.

mdyoung

That was the point I was trying to make that if the jobs weren't filled by illegals, it might open up more opportunities for people to come here legally to work.

ladygwennie

If these people are of no threat whatsoever to the united states they should have no fear in being legal immigrants. It may not be those particular people who are threats, but there are so many undocumented people over here, that there is bound to be some bad seeds in there.

snowbunny

Where else in the world does a first-world country share a very, very long land border with a third-world country?

This is an issue unique to the US and Mexico.

And not *everyone* is trying to sneak in here. Many people have familial ties to Mexico and do not wish to leave. It is very dangerous to make the illegal crossing over the land border and exploitation of illegal aliens is huge. They come because if they don't come, they and their entire family could starve.

With the social bennies available in the UK, an unskilled/uneducated person would be insane to leave, as would most workers who could not make enough money in the US to begin to cover health care costs.

scrubbedexpat099

Not quite right, many/most have jobs they leave.

Not that you will get any meaningfull stats, even the numbers can not be agreed upon.

I understood that the wording of the 14th was to make sure that the Black population were included as citizens, there was no intent to make those here illegally or visiting citizens, that was a Supreme Court interpretation and like any interpretation is up for dispute.

My father was over here a few years after my birth, it is always more pertinant to look at it from a personal situation.

If both parents had visited earlier and I had been born here, would I expect to be a USC because of that?

My personal answer is No, location an accident of birth.

(I would have then been of draft age in the Vietnam war, been liable to US tax, these things are often doubled edged!)

fatbrit

The Maginot Line was equally effective! Any politician who claims it is an answer to the problem is pandering to you and hoping you're as stupid as you look.

If you want to prevent illegal migration, a wall is not the solution. But then they aren't actually looking for solutions, are they? And until they decide to so do, it's all a total waste of time and a waste of money/

Funnily enough, I believe that this is an issue that unties voters on the left and right, and the opposition to finding a solution to this problem (and it really ain't that difficult!) are those in positions of power. There may be a difference in emphasis with those on the left accepting some blame on behalf of the US for the sorry situation and those on the right pursuing cavemen politics, but there's plenty of common ground that could and would produce a solution.