Originally Published in the June 4th Print Publication
Immigrants: they get the job done. Alexander Hamilton, Albert Einstein, and Nikola Tesla are just a few examples of immigrants that have changed the course of the United States forever. America has always been known as a melting pot of culture, identity, and idea; but recently, that idea has been challenged in court. The case against birthright citizenship making its way to a decision in the Supreme Court has rattled the nation. It’s not without its merits. The line in the Constitution that is being debated upon is “subject to the jurisdiction thereof”. If an individual enters the country illegally, they could arguably be considered as not under its jurisdiction. It has case precedence in Supreme Court decisions. It’s a stronger case than critics may appraise it as; but that’s not the issue with the argument.
The main purpose of the argument is to provide a deterrent against illegal immigrants. This falls under the assumption that many illegal immigrants come to the US to have children with citizenship, a factor undoubtedly present. The American Dream is a sentiment echoed in many immigrant families. It’s a dream some live for, and some die for. It’s the eternal American paradox: how can we combine new with old? The American Paradox is what the battle between conservatives and liberals inherently thrives upon, and essentially what the birthright citizenship is built behind. At its core, the birthright citizenship argument extends beyond policy; it’s a promise of history and legacy. No matter your background, the soil you’re born on determines your stake in the future of this nation. Punishing the youth born and raised in America is counterintuitive to where the actual problem lies.
A universal experience for any immigrant family is the long, arduous journey towards citizenship or residency. It’s long nights on the phone, years of wait and worry. Immigrating to the US isn’t forward or kind to many. It’s a privilege that many can’t wait for. Addressing immigration system problems would provide a more stable basis for lowering the numbers of illegal immigrants. Not because we don’t need immigrants, but because alternate pathways exist to allow them safe passage. Instead of deterrence, America should focus on reform. The American Dream has always been one that spanned the world, and that shouldn’t have to change.
The spirit of the 14th Amendment was to protect against inherited inequality. To remove that heart would be regression, not reform. It would only benefit to cause legal problems and more kinks in the already broken immigration system. Immigrants, documented or not, undoubtedly benefit our society. Change benefits our world. The heart of the American paradox is the teetering scale between change and caution. Fear that America is changing too fast. That the American spirit is being diluted into something it’s never been. But change, immigrants, has been the American constant. Immigrants founded this nation, and they lead it today.
To end birthright citizenship wouldn’t just be unconstitutional; it would be going against the core ideals of the American paradox. The true test of a nation is not who it keeps out, but who it chooses to let belong.
