There are few more basic tenets in the U.S. Constitution than this: If you're born in the U.S., you're a citizen.
But as we all know it gets a bit more complicated for some when you add illegal immigrants into the equation.
Some of you on this blog have called for a crackdown on birthright citizenship. You say far too many immigrants enter the U.S. illegally and have children here.
Now some members of Congress are taking up your cause. A bill in the U.S. House pushed by Republicans would restrict birthright citizenship.
Rep. Gary Miller, R-Brea, a co-sponsor of the legislation, told a California newspaper:
"You have many people coming to this country illegally. They come to this country and have babies. The children are citizens. The children are eligible to go to school. They receive food stamps and social programs. The American taxpayers are paying for it."
The chances of this bill even getting a committee hearing are slim to none. But nonetheless it does show how divisive of an issue this -- too divisive for Rep. Joe Baca, D-San Bernardino:
Baca told the San Bernardino newspaper that the bill's sponsors were playing election-year politics:
"We should ban these types of divisive proposals. All this bill is meant to do is play on people's fears, incite anger and hate surrounding anti-immigration policies. This bill doesn't do anything to fix our broken immigration system."
