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A couple of interesting blogposts this morning about Republican candidates and immigration policies.
Ezra Klein is focusing on Trump. His thesis that Trump is trying to use collective punishment that largely focuses on legal immigrants is worth examining.
http://www.vox.com/2015/8/18/9171919/donald-trump-immigration-plan
Paul Waldman is being a bit broader.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blog...6-election-by-raising-birthright-citizenship/
But both are discussing the topic of Birthright Citizenship which is guaranteed under section 1 of the 14th Amendment:
Several of the Republican candidates are suggesting that this needs to be changed.
This is one of the scariest ideas currently running around immigration politics.
Currently, immigrant status and the weaker legal protections that go with it exists only in the people who have immigrated but not been naturalized (resident aliens). The children of immigrants are citizens if born in the US.
While it has been argued that this motivates people to come here and have children, I would argue that more than that it motivates immigrants to treat this as their country, that it makes it easier for those born here to identify as Americans even if they are children of immigrants. Creating an inherited resident alien (and therefore subject to deportation on government whim) status will reduce national identification. This, in turn, will increase disaffection and disloyalty.
Cynicism can be further increased if we consider that laws need not be written to treat resident aliens in the same way that citizens are treated. This would allow for labor laws that have less protection for such people. Thus businesses could hire resident aliens for lower wages with fewer benefits, etc.
Far be it from me to not suggest that such policies would benefit the short term interests of the upper class at the expense of the lower and middle classes.
I'm also willing to suggest that such policies would be sold to the lower and middle classes as protection of their status as citizens while actually undermining their position in society.
This kind of thing might work because immigration policies have historically played on racism and fear of the alien.
http://academic.udayton.edu/race/02rights/immigr09.htm
http://www.umass.edu/complit/aclanet/USMigrat.html
Ezra Klein is focusing on Trump. His thesis that Trump is trying to use collective punishment that largely focuses on legal immigrants is worth examining.
http://www.vox.com/2015/8/18/9171919/donald-trump-immigration-plan
Paul Waldman is being a bit broader.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blog...6-election-by-raising-birthright-citizenship/
But both are discussing the topic of Birthright Citizenship which is guaranteed under section 1 of the 14th Amendment:
Section 1.
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. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Several of the Republican candidates are suggesting that this needs to be changed.
This is one of the scariest ideas currently running around immigration politics.
Currently, immigrant status and the weaker legal protections that go with it exists only in the people who have immigrated but not been naturalized (resident aliens). The children of immigrants are citizens if born in the US.
While it has been argued that this motivates people to come here and have children, I would argue that more than that it motivates immigrants to treat this as their country, that it makes it easier for those born here to identify as Americans even if they are children of immigrants. Creating an inherited resident alien (and therefore subject to deportation on government whim) status will reduce national identification. This, in turn, will increase disaffection and disloyalty.
Cynicism can be further increased if we consider that laws need not be written to treat resident aliens in the same way that citizens are treated. This would allow for labor laws that have less protection for such people. Thus businesses could hire resident aliens for lower wages with fewer benefits, etc.
Far be it from me to not suggest that such policies would benefit the short term interests of the upper class at the expense of the lower and middle classes.
I'm also willing to suggest that such policies would be sold to the lower and middle classes as protection of their status as citizens while actually undermining their position in society.
This kind of thing might work because immigration policies have historically played on racism and fear of the alien.
http://academic.udayton.edu/race/02rights/immigr09.htm
http://www.umass.edu/complit/aclanet/USMigrat.html