Born in the US but denied citizenship?

[Greenday]

Well how should it be earned... I have no problem with children taking their citizenship from their parents which is how it should be. But I am really curious on how you think one should earn it.

Really? The same way people born in other countries receive citizenship in America: taking a test for it. Military service wouldn't be a horrible second option.

[Rebel]

Really? The same way people born in other countries receive citizenship in America: taking a test for it. Military service wouldn't be a horrible second option.

Baby Commandos?

The child isn't to blame.

By your reasoning, every child born in the USA should sit for a test before they can be called citizens, even those who's parents are American citizens already.

How did your test go? At what age did you go for it? If they haven't passed it by the time they're 2 years old should they be kicked out of the country?

I'm sorry, but your suggestions make absolutely no sense.

[radiocerk]

While it would be nice for people born in the US to have to know the same amount about how the government works, and the basics of history that immigrants learn, it's not practical to suggest a test. In most countries, children derive their citizenship from their parents, and it's a reasonable requirement, in my mind. If neither of your parents are citizens, I don't see why you should be one just based on where you're born.

So, I figure the next step for AZ, is to take the kids, put them in CPS, and deport the parents. It would go along with their string of irrational, unethical and reactionary behavior lately.

[Greenday]

Baby Commandos?

By your reasoning, every child born in the USA should sit for a test before they can be called citizens, even those who's parents are American citizens already.

How did your test go? At what age did you go for it? If they haven't passed it by the time they're 2 years old should they be kicked out of the country?

I'm sorry, but your suggestions make absolutely no sense.

Never suggested infants should be in the military. Same age restrictions would apply for the military, just another way to earn citizenship.

Um, yes, every child would have to take a citizenship test to earn their citizenship. I don't see how hard that would really be.

Give people different statuses:

Citizen (for those who pass the test)
Probationary Citizen (children of citizens, lasts until 18 or passing of citizenship test)
Legal Immigrant (a.k.a. visas, green card, etc.)
Illegal Immigrant (didn't follow the rules to get here, no benefits whatsoever)

The first two receive normal, full benefits from the government. Legal immigrants get basic rights, but nothing extra. Illegal immigrants...get the boot.

While it would be nice for people born in the US to have to know the same amount about how the government works, and the basics of history that immigrants learn, it's not practical to suggest a test.

How is it not practical to suggest a test? We do tons of standardized testing as it is, in school and out of school. Why would this be any different? I've taken online versions of the test and learning everything from middle school and high school I had no trouble passing it.

[Hobbs]

How is it not practical to suggest a test? We do tons of standardized testing as it is, in school and out of school. Why would this be any different? I've taken online versions of the test and learning everything from middle school and high school I had no trouble passing it.

My grandparents barely had a middle school education between the both of them. Both loved their country (USA) and my grandfather served his country in the Army during WWII-a time when he was discriminated against. He and my grandmother paid poll taxes to exercise their AMERICAN RIGHTS in the 1950s. He worked as a civilian worker at Kelly AFB for over thirty years. If anyone says he and myself, and my family...most of whom have served this country ADMIRABLY need a damned test to be considered good enough, then they can go stuff themselves.

No one should be tested for the right to live in the land they have been born on. To quote Sitting Bull, "Is it wrong for me to love my own...Because I was born where my father lived? Because I would die for my people and my country?"

[radiocerk]

Up to what age do we give people to pass this test. There are high school students failing their exit exams every year despite the expectation that they should be able to do 10th grade work. What about those who don't have the capabilities to pass said test. Would someone with severe autism or another mental handicap get denied citizenship because they couldn't sit a test?

I definitely agree that the US needs to get a lot more strict on illegal immigration, but picking on people who are citizens, buy their own federal laws, is not the correct answer. Immigration is the job of the federal government, not the states.

[jackfaire]

Here is what people seem to be saying

Until the age of 18 a minor's citizenship is determined by the status of his/her parents.

If at least one parent is a citizen then so is the child.

If at least one parent becomes a citizen then so does the child.

If upon reaching the age of 18 the child's parents have not become citizens the child is welcome to do so through the same process that everyone else does.

I don't know about everybody else but I remember social studies and having to learn all the things that are on the citizenship test in my classes and testing on them there.

[Hobbs]

Those tests are designed to test what you've learned, not to decide the fate of your life.

[Fryk]

Give people different statuses:

Citizen (for those who pass the test)
Probationary Citizen (children of citizens, lasts until 18 or passing of citizenship test)
Legal Immigrant (a.k.a. visas, green card, etc.)
Illegal Immigrant (didn't follow the rules to get here, no benefits whatsoever)

The first two receive normal, full benefits from the government. Legal immigrants get basic rights, but nothing extra. Illegal immigrants...get the boot.

So what rights would you consider to be extra?

[Greenday]

So what rights would you consider to be extra?

Assistance from the government. Most programs that are government funded. Right to bear arms.

Normal rights would be judicial rights, law enforcement aid.

[Arcade Man D]

Assistance from the government. Most programs that are government funded. Right to bear arms.

Normal rights would be judicial rights, law enforcement aid.

So.... Legal immigrants would be barred from receiving an education?
Or using public highways?

[Greenday]

So.... Legal immigrants would be barred from receiving an education?
Or using public highways?

Pay for it.
And that's ok. We pay to use half of them these days anyway.

I don't have the time, nor knowledge to nitpick every single law.

[HYHYBT]

Give people different statuses:

Citizen (for those who pass the test)
Probationary Citizen (children of citizens, lasts until 18 or passing of citizenship test)
Legal Immigrant (a.k.a. visas, green card, etc.)
Illegal Immigrant (didn't follow the rules to get here, no benefits whatsoever)

Where does that leave those who reach 18 without passing the test? They cannot logically be classified as *any* kind of immigrant if they were born here (and especially if their parents are citizens) so what are they?

[Hobbs]

Pay for it.
And that's ok. We pay to use half of them these days anyway.

I don't have the time, nor knowledge to nitpick every single law.

"Pay for it!?" Seriously? I mean, seriously?

Why don't you pay for it then? Why should you get a free ride?

[tropicsgoddess]

The bill is unconstitutional, but even if the child was a US Citizen by birth and has illegal immigrant parents, the parents will be deported, same thing if it's only one parent that was an illegal immigrant. Both ways it's a strain on the family. Better patrolling of the border with more guards (IMO) is the answer to the illegal immigration problem, NOT laws and bills that cause a ruckus with profiling people.