Veronika Kalugina

December 8, 2021

Report 3

Birthright Citizenship Social Issue

A. Introduction

1. I studied the social issue of birthright citizenship because I find it interesting to learn about different perspectives

on the topic of immigration.

2. The area of sociological study that is most closely related to this issue is social control because immigration law is

directly related to birthright citizenship and has to be applied for social control and inequality, where some

individuals may use their US-born children to receive naturalization and other government benefits.

3. The categories of people that are most affected by this issue are honest immigrant’s social class that try to lawfully

obtain a US citizenship and have to be on the “back of the line” and wait a very long time, compared to illegal

immigrants who complete a fast naturalization process though their children born in the States.

4. The actions of breaking the law by small groups of people, such as immigrants who try to stay in the country

illegally by overstaying the visa or coming to the states without a visa are mainly causing this issue.

5. The social institutions that are most affected by this issue are the state, economy. They are affected in many

different ways such as the state is losing its reputation and authority because of the lack of immigration law

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 enforcement, and the economy is affected by providing benefits to the families of immigrants that came to the

states illegally and eventually providing naturalization and benefits to them.

6. Outdated immigration laws and lack of proper immigration policies reinforced by federal governement may be

causing this issue.

B. Microlevel Analysis 

1. An article that has the most helpful discussion about the causes of birthright citizenship on the microlevel is

“Congress Should End Birthright Citizenship” by Will Wilkinson. An article discusses some of the causes why small

groups of illegal immigrants might intend to stay in the country illegally and have children on the territory of the

United States and obtain citizenship for them: “Though undocumented immigrants are ineligible for most forms of

government assistance, their America-born kids do qualify, which is no doubt an attraction to some prospective

immigrant parents”. Individual actions such as an intention of obtaining citizenship and possibly giving citizenship to

an entire family of an illegal immigrant though naturalization of their children is a decision-making action that some

people may find unfair or unlawful and it is probably one of the main causes of the issue of birthright citizenship.

2. Based on the information in the articles, individuals who are trying to seek naturalization in the United States could

change to ameliorate problems with an issue of birthright citizenship by finding fair, legal ways of obtaining

citizenship. These individuals can do it through appropriate lawful actions and decisions instead of using their own

children for the purpose of naturalization: “These children and their mothers (and other family members)

automatically jump ahead of millions of other foreigners patiently waiting in line abroad for the chance to come to

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 the United States in proper, legal fashion” Bonnie Erbe says in her article “Birthright Citizenship Should Be

Repealed”.

C. Macrolevel Analysis

1. Articles “Naturalization and Birthright Citizenship Should Be Encouraged” and “America Should Grant

Birthright Citizenship to Children of Illegal Immigrants” both have helpful discussions about the causes of

the birthright citizenship issue on the macrolevel. The author of the article “Naturalization and Birthright

Citizenship Should be Encouraged” John S. Cummins discusses the causes of a birthright citizenship issue

on the macrolevel: “Reports of inadequate oversight and management, failure to implement quality control

measures, and the general problems that the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has experienced

in administering the naturalization process have received extensive Congressional and media attention”. A

social institution of the federal government might be causing the issue associated with a grant of birthright

citizenship to children of illegal immigrants with some outdated immigration policies and laws. Where,

instead of making changes to the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, a social

institution of the federal government needs to make corrections to the immigration policies and deal with the

illegal immigration problem, where people illegally overstay immigration visas and move to the country

illegally: “Rather than change the Constitution, Congress should concentrate on effective enforcement of

immigration laws” Jack Kemp says in his article “America Should Grant Birthright Citizenship to Children of

Illegal Immigrants”.

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 2. A social institution of the federal government could ameliorate the issue of birthright citizenship. There are

some social changes that the authority of the federal government needs to make to ameliorate this issue,

such as updating or changing some of the immigration laws that are outdated or do not work nowadays and

focusing on illegal immigrants instead of children who were born in the United States –“There are many

legitimate means to reduce illegal immigration, but violating a constitutional right is not among them. Rather

than change the Constitution, Congress should concentrate on effective enforcement of immigration laws”

Jack Kemp says in his article “America Should Grant Birthright Citizenship to Children of Illegal

Immigrants”. A social institution of the federal government could resolve the dispute about birthright

citizenship by building a supporting immigration program that is based is fair for everyone seeking

citizenship -” it is incumbent upon our government to support programs that help immigrants to meet the

requirements of citizenship and to ensure integrity, efficiency and fairness in the naturalization process that

will facilitate that renewal” John S. Cummins states in his article “Naturalization and Birthright Citizenship

Should be Encouraged”.

D. Conclusion (1 page, 20 points)

1. Most likely the causes of the birthright citizenship issue at the micro and macro levels are fact that people

take advantage of the lack of strict immigration laws enforcement and make unlawful, illegal decisions for

their own benefit.

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 2. The best ameliorations of this issue at the micro and macro levels are the improvement of immigration laws

and their strict enforcement.

3. This report has contributed to my sociological imagination by making me look from a different perspective

on an immigration issue of birthright citizenship, from the perspective of immigrants, who are trying to find a

way of getting a chance for a better life and from a perspective of a federal government that tries to

reinforce the immigration policies and follows the Constitution of the United States, where it guarantees that

all children born in America are granted citizenship with equal rights and protections under our laws.

Step 6: List References/Works Cited

 Wilkinson, Will. "Congress Should End Birthright Citizenship." Illegal Immigration, edited by Noël Merino,

Greenhaven Press, 2012. Current Controversies. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010499256/OVIC?u=tel_s_tsla&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=9684b03b. Accessed 7 Dec.

2021. Originally published as "Arizona's Latest Immigration Idea Makes Sense," The Week, 2 July 2010.

 Erbe, Bonnie. "Birthright Citizenship Should Be Repealed." Immigration, edited by Mary E. Williams, Greenhaven

Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010227258/OVIC?u=tel_s_tsla&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=a4e5ea50. Accessed 8 Dec.

2021. Originally published as "Closing Swinging Immigration Door," Abilene Reporter-News, 10 July 2002.

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  Cummins, John S. "Naturalization and Birthright Citizenship Should Be Encouraged." Immigration, edited by Mary

E. Williams, Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010227259/OVIC?u=tel_s_tsla&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=38ea81e3. Accessed 8 Dec.

2021. Originally published as "From Alien to American: Acceptance Through Citizenship," www.nccbuscc.org,

1998.

 Ramsey, Michael D. "Originalism and Birthright Citizenship." Georgetown Law Journal, vol. 109, no. 2, Dec. 2020,

pp. 405+. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A650748868/OVIC?

u=tel_s_tsla&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=cff7ab78. Accessed 8 Dec. 2021.

 Kemp, Jack. "America Should Grant Birthright Citizenship to Children of Illegal Immigrants." Illegal Immigration,

edited by William Dudley, Greenhaven Press, 2002. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010226224/OVIC?u=tel_s_tsla&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=b3b9572d. Accessed 9 Dec.

2021.

 Conley, Dalton. You May Ask Yourself. 5th ed., W.W. Norton, 2017.