Is There a Manchurian Candidate among the US-Citizen Babies Born to Illegal Immigrants?

It's Friday the 13th again. Time to beware black cats and stepladders -- and the hidden consequences of US immigration policy. ~~~~~ In particular, what can America do about the 11 million people in the US illegally. This is now a litmus test for the GOP. Even in states as far removed from the real problem as Wisconsin, Governor Scott Walker is talking about border security. There is no doubt that the pull of US citizenship is enormous, encouraging ever-increasing illegal immigration. Experts estimate that 300,000 to 400,000 babies are born each year to people living in the country illegally, causing substantial growth in the undocumented population, which most Americans would like to limit. Critics of the “amnesty” being offered to 5 million of these illegals by President Obama say that his offer will simply encourage more illegal immigration, and push even more families to have babies in the US. Why?  Obama’s plan provides protection against deportation for three years, and favors the undocumented parents of US citizens and legal permanent residents who have lived in the country for at least five years. The 5 million illegal immigrants who fall under this umbrella are people who had children once inside the US -- children who automatically became US citizens. And, as often when an issue in the US becomes too hot for politicians to handle, it winds up on a federal judge's desk. That's what has happened to Obama's amnesty plan. A federal judge has granted to 26 state petitioners an injunction preventing Obama's plan from being implemented until its constitutionality has been decided. The Department of Justice has asked the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to quash the injunction and permit the Obama plan to proceed. This case is headed to the US Supreme Court on a fast track. ~~~~~ Worse, the practice of having babies in America is becoming an industry. Federal agents recently raided 37 sites in southern California that are giving thousands of Chinese women the chance to give birth to babies on US soil in exchange for fees of up to $60,000. The birth tourism package includes not only the opportunity to acquire automatic citizenship for their children, but also free schooling, food, health and retirement benefits potentially worth millions of dollars. There are also perks like nannies, trips to Disneyland and fancy restaurants. The New York Times says that affidavits filed by law enforcement authorities “quote Chinese government sources as reporting that Chinese nationals had 10,000 babies in the United States in 2012, up from 4,200 in 2008.” For prosperous Chinese or residents of unstable countries like Russia, an American passport is a golden safety net. Experts estimate that as many as 40,000 children from all over the world are born under such circumstances in the US each year. ~~~~~ Maybe it's time to stop focusing on border control and amnesty and attack the core problem. Americans have the right through a constitutional amendment to demand an end to US “birthright citizenship.” Among developed nations, only America and Canada still offer automatic citizenship to children born on their soil. Not a single European country does. Americans take this right for granted, but this entitlement encourages a birth tourism business (undermining US immigration objectives) and it guarantees that the number of people in the US illegally will continue to grow. Because -- over time, as family members take up the chance for US citizenship, the total allowed into the country multiples. Once those babies turn 21, and if they are in the country, they can sponsor other family members to enter the US. Under American law, which promotes family unification, parents, siblings and minor children of a US citizen are welcome. The Fiscal Tumes quotes a report from John Feere of the Center for Immigration Studies that says admitting family members accounts for most of US growth in immigration levels. Of the 1,130,818 immigrants who were granted legal permanent residency in 2009, a total of 747,413 (or, 66%) were family-sponsored immigrants. ~~~~~ The commercial exploitation of US immigration laws is repugnant to most Americans. And the idea that any baby born on US soil should become a citizen should be challenged. While many advocates of immigration reform focus on border security and amnesty, it would be far more effective to make illegal residency unattractive. Eliminating birthright citizenship would do just that. Immigration advocates argue that automatic citizenship is protected by the 14th amendment to the Constitution : “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.” But, the 14th amendment hasn’t stopped legislators from attempting to "amend" the 14th amendment. In 1993, none other than today's immigrant advocate Harry Reid offered a bill that would have restricted automatic citizenship to the children of US citizens and legal resident aliens. Today, Louisiana Senator David Vitter is going to propose an amendment restricting the automatic citizenship provision to babies born to a US citizen or a person who is a permanent resident or serving in the military. This is reasonable. It is not reasobable that the children of temporary aliens - people visiting legally on a student visa - or babies born to illegal immigrants - are granted US passports. Even children born to foreign diplomats on duty in the US - clearly people not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the US - can receive a US passport. The Social Security Administration says they know the practice is inappropriate, but are not sure how to monitor it. ~~~~~ Dear readers, if that doesn't scare you, consider this. Every baby born in the United States to illegal immigrants or birth tourists has the right to become President. A "Manchurian Candidate" may be among them -- a baby raised in the US but brainwashed to be secretly loyal to China could become President, and if not China, perhaps loyal to Russia or Iran. Now that is a truly frightening thought for Friday the 13th.