government question “birthright citizenship”
70% of students will successfully research and evaluate a proposed “birthright citizenship” of the 14th Amendment, and its potential impact on American society.
Activity for Assessment:
There are many individuals and groups that propose constitutional change, and one popular voice, George Will, has suggested a change in how we view citizenship.
Read the following two articles:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/26/AR2010032603077.html
And
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/01/china-us-birth-tourism_n_7187180.html
As is, the 14th Amendment allows for automatic natural-born citizen status for anyone born on U.S. soil. With the U.S. being considered a destination for “birth tourism”, should the 14th Amendment be reinterpreted to force more strict requirements for citizenship? Research the term “birth tourism” and how birth tourism impacts (or may impact) our system and resources. Then, based on your research and your reading of the two required articles, answer the following questions:
1.) Which areas in the U.S. are seeing the most birth tourism?
2.) From which countries are we seeing most activity?
3.) What are some of the economic pros and cons of birth tourism in the United States?
4.) How does the 14th Amendment impact the issue of citizenship and what are the arguments currently regarding a possible reinterpretation of the 14th Amendment?
5.) Finally, based on your reading and research, what are your thoughts about this issue? Do you believe the 14th Amendment should be reinterpreted to require one parent be an American citizen? Why or why not? Do you believe U.S. citizenship should be harder to come by? Why or why not?
