State Legislators Call for Changes to Citizenship Law, Equate ‘Anchor Babies’ to Child Abuse

State Legislators Call for Changes to Citizenship Law, Equate ‘Anchor Babies’ to Child Abuse

A group of state legislators from across the country is planning to work together to create legislation to remove automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants. The 14th Amendment provides citizenship to any child born in the country (except children of foreign diplomats), which Pennsylvania State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R) said creates an incentive for illegal immigrants to come to the United States. “It is not far-fetched to say many of these people are having babies for the purpose of having that anchor baby status to get benefits,” Metcalfe said at a press conference he organized this morning to announce the legislators’ project. “You’ve hit the jackpot when you come into the country illegally and have an anchor baby here.”