[Macoozie]

LA Times lost me years ago for regular reading. But once in a great while, I drop by. This is a very well laid out read. Some needless hits of course, but over all, surprisingly not bad. Will be interesting to see how they flesh-out the follow ups.

[Paine in the Neck]

[Regulator]

Should children born to parents who are not here legally be entitled to "birthright citizenship"?

Should their parents - illegal aliens who intentionally crossed into the United States willfully - be the ones who decide who the Americans are?

By acknowledging their children as Birthright Citizens, that's precisely what we are doing.

Since when do invaders choose the citizenry?

[eyeamok]

If your parents Rob a Bank should you as their child be able to keep the money?

[a fool in paradise]

Should young people who are here illegally be allowed to stay indefinitely as non-naturalized residents or would that constitute “second-class citizenship”?

There is no "second class citizenship" about it. They are VISITORS, not citizens. What's so damn wrong about being Mexican????

[a fool in paradise]

But citizenship has meanings that are deeper and more subtle than legal permission to live in this country. It defines an individual's relationship to his country and thus strikes chords of nationalism

Many Mexicans who are here are still more proud of their mother country and are even encouraged to vote at HOME. No dual citizenship. No dual allegiance.

[a fool in paradise]

Complicating the picture further is the fact that many U.S. citizens — native-born and naturalized — hold citizenship in another country, and sometimes vote in foreign elections and even serve in foreign armies. Although the State Department discourages dual nationality, the Supreme Court has ruled that a U.S. citizen must affirmatively intend to renounce his citizenship before it can be taken away. In an increasingly globalized world, dual citizenship is, for some, an attractive option. Is it also good for the American political process, or does the existence of multiple allegiances undermine social cohesion?

Time was we DIDN'T recognize dual citizenship. I think that changed (softly) in the 80s.

Where the hell can a "native American" like myself reap the benefits of dual citizenship or at least NATIVE AMERICAN benefits? This sucks.

And if they vote elsewhere, they CANNOT be permitted to vote here.

Peter Jennings became an American citizen sometime before the 2004 election. He said that he was still proud to retain his Canadian citizenship. I think his sole reason for becoming a US citizen was to vote against GW Bush's re-election. He'd already been here 20 years so it wasn't a big matter to him to become a citizen.

[a fool in paradise]

America, it is often said, is a nation of immigrants.

Yeah, that meme is going around England, France, Germany, Australia, Sweden, and Holland these days. Things aren't working out so well for them as the new citizens don't care to merge into the society, they'd rather stake out colonies to settle there.

[molson209]

It means nothing when the President is NOT a US Citizen

[Hulka]

” Should immigrants who are in the country illegally be given a “path to citizenship”?”

No.

“Should children born to parents who are not here legally be entitled to “birthright citizenship”?

H$LL No.