PHOENIX - About one out of every 15 children in the United States was born to a family in which at least one parent is in this country illegally according to a new report issued today. And 80 percent of those 5.1 million children - including 340000 born in just 2008 - are citizens because they were born in the United States the Pew Hispanic Center concluded. According to some that makes them anchor babies for their illegal parents.
The figures which the organization calculated based on 2009 U.S. Census Bureau estimates are the best estimates to date of the scope of the issue which has resulted in calls to amend the U.S. Constitution to deny automatic citizenship to children solely by virtue of their birth in this country.
While no specific language has been crafted it likely would say citizenship for a newborn depends on at least one parent being a citizen. If that is the language the number of youngsters affected would be much smaller than in the Pew study.
Jeffrey Passel Pew senior demographer said the organization was unable to calculate the number of children who have two illegal-immigrant parents. Logically the number with two unauthorized parents would be less than our estimate he said.
Its unclear what would happen to children with parents who are legal permanent residents or to kids whose parents are in the U.S. legally with temporary visas.
The Immigration Policy Center an immigrant-rights organization in Washington D.C. said in a news release that without data on children with two illegal parents the report offers no real clarity.
Whether the change would strip citizenship from one baby or 1 million its a mean-spirited plan that wouldnt help the country with its illegal-immigration issues said Michele Waslin senior policy analyst with the Immigration Policy Center. Waslin also said calling these children anchor babies is both offensive and inaccurate.
Pew calculated that the percentage of children of illegal immigrants may be increasing. Researchers peg the number of illegal immigrants in the United States at something slightly in excess of 4 percent of the total population.
But because they are relatively young and have high birthrates their children make up a much larger share of the newborn population and the child population in this country the report says.
The report does not say how many of those 5.1 million children of illegal immigrants are in Arizona.
PHOENIX - About one out of every 15 children in the United States was born to a family in which at least one parent is in this country illegally according to a new report issued today. And 80 percent of those 5.1 million children - including 340000 born in just 2008 - are citizens because they were born in the United States the Pew Hispanic Center concluded. According to some that makes them anchor babies for their illegal parents.
The figures which the organization calculated based on 2009 U.S. Census Bureau estimates are the best estimates to date of the scope of the issue which has resulted in calls to amend the U.S. Constitution to deny automatic citizenship to children solely by virtue of their birth in this country.
While no specific language has been crafted it likely would say citizenship for a newborn depends on at least one parent being a citizen. If that is the language the number of youngsters affected would be much smaller than in the Pew study.
Jeffrey Passel Pew senior demographer said the organization was unable to calculate the number of children who have two illegal-immigrant parents. Logically the number with two unauthorized parents would be less than our estimate he said.
Its unclear what would happen to children with parents who are legal permanent residents or to kids whose parents are in the U.S. legally with temporary visas.
The Immigration Policy Center an immigrant-rights organization in Washington D.C. said in a news release that without data on children with two illegal parents the report offers no real clarity.
Whether the change would strip citizenship from one baby or 1 million its a mean-spirited plan that wouldnt help the country with its illegal-immigration issues said Michele Waslin senior policy analyst with the Immigration Policy Center. Waslin also said calling these children anchor babies is both offensive and inaccurate.
Pew calculated that the percentage of children of illegal immigrants may be increasing. Researchers peg the number of illegal immigrants in the United States at something slightly in excess of 4 percent of the total population.
But because they are relatively young and have high birthrates their children make up a much larger share of the newborn population and the child population in this country the report says.
The report does not say how many of those 5.1 million children of illegal immigrants are in Arizona.
