Birthright Citizenship Pros And Cons

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Birthright Citizenship Pros And Cons

Under birthright citizenship act, it isn’t just good enough for children to be born in a country in order to become a citizen of that nation. The parents of that baby must also be citizens, at least one of them, in order for an infant to be considered a rightful member of that country. It is seen as a way to stop illegal immigration, but it is also seen as a way to restrict the rights of people who are born on a country’s soil. There are some pros and cons to consider with this subject, so let’s take a look at the debate today.

Here are the Pros of Birthright Citizenship

1. It could save on healthcare costs.
In countries where first right citizenship is being considered, it is not uncommon for mothers to fly in the week they are expected to have their child, give birth in that country’s hospital, and then fly back home after the child is healthy enough to travel. By stopping this practice, fewer resources would need to be dedicated to these mothers, which could spread out the overall costs of health care.

2. It would improve social services.
A majority of food stamp benefits and other welfare programs go to children. By having birthright citizenship, countries would no longer need to provide benefits to children when their parents came into the nation illegally in the first place. This would free up funds to help other impoverished people within the country’s borders.

3. It would allow local dollars to spend locally.
Economies benefit when local money is kept local. The value of just one dollar can be doubled when it is spent within the same community. Even when times get a little tough, this basic fact can help people find more overall success instead of sending money overseas to children born here through illegal practices.

Here Are the Cons of Birthright Citizenship

1. It violates government laws.
In the United States, for example, any child born on US soil automatically becomes a citizen. This is because of the 14th amendment. There are another 29 countries where the practice of birthright citizenship would be considered illegal.

2. There is strength in diversity.
People from different ethnicities and backgrounds have unique experiences that can be shared to the community as a whole. That’s often what makes a country great and birthright citizenship would potentially dissuade the benefits of diversity from being achieved one community at a time.

3. There’s no element of love.
Some countries that are thinking about birthright citizenship regularly speak of their religious values. The major religions of the world all speak of loving other people just as much a person loves themselves. If the roles were reversed, many people would choose to have their children born in a foreign country so their child could become an automatic citizen and receive better benefits as well.

There’s no easy answer to the question of birthright citizenship. In some ways, it can be seen as discriminatory. In other ways, it can be seen as a way of enforcing existing laws more efficiently. By weighing the pros and cons of the subject, each country can come to the right decision that works for a majority.