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15 Tul. J. Int'l & Comp. L. 265 (2006-2007)
Addressing the Call for the Elimination of Birthright Citizenship in the United States: Constitutional and Pragmatic Reasons to Keep Birthright Citizenship Intact

handle is hein.journals/tulicl15 and id is 269 raw text is: Addressing the Call for the Elimination of Birthright Citizenship in the United States: Constitutional and Pragmatic Reasons To Keep Birthright Citizenship Intact Katherine Pettit* I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 265 II. LEGAL BACKGROUND ....................................................................... 266 A. Current Political Context in the United States ...................... 266 B. Current Law of the United States ........................................... 267 C Intem atonalLaw .................................................................... 270 Ill. THE UNITED STATES IS NOT IN A UNIQUE HISTORICAL SITUATION THAT NECESSITATES REPEALING BIRTHRIGHT C ITIZENSHIP ...................................................................................... 272 A. The United States PreviouslyAttempted and Ultmately Failed To Limit Citizenship Rights for Specific Races or Ethnic Groups ..................................................................... 272 B. The CurrentAttempt To Limit Bztbnght Citizenship Targeted at Undocumented Immigrants Is Functionally No Different and Should Not Be Treated Differently ........... 275 IV REPEALING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP WILL NOT IMPROVE THE AMERICAN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM OR RESULT IN FEWER ILLEGAL A LIENS ............................................................................... 278 A. Lessons Learned from Germany ........................................... 278 B. Pgmat c Reasons Why Ending Bifhl'ht Citizenship Will Not Workin the United States ........................................ 281 V CONCLUSION .................................................................................... 289 I. INTRODUCTION With provocative rhetoric and emotionally charged messages, members of Congress throughout the United States are renewing the age- * J.D. candidate 2007, Tulane University School of Law; B.A. 2002, Whitworth College. The author would like to thank Boalt Hall School of Law professors Maria Echaveste and Lucas Guttentag for welcoming her into their immigration classes following Hurricane Katrina and inspiring the topic of this Comment. She would also like to thank Nathan Smith for his encouragement and support. 265

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