Sunday, December 22, 2024

Arizona Lawmaker Now Targets Citizenship Rights

Arizona Watch

Buoyed by his success in authoring and passing the state’s controversial new anti-immigration law, Arizona State Sen. Russell Pearce is continuing his crusade.

A local Phoenix reporter obtained emails from Pearce (R-Mesa) to constituents and supporters indicating he intends to introduce a measure in the state legislature that would deny US citizenship to the children of undocumented immigrants.

In the email exchanges, the senator forwarded one message, not authored by him, which stated, “If we are going to have an effect on the anchor baby racket, we need to target the mother.”

When questioned by the reporter, Pearce said he saw nothing offensive with the term, “anchor babies”.  He did express disappointment that some in the debate consider him “mean spirited.”

Pearce’s correspondences fail to explain how a state measure could legally deny rights guaranteed by the US constitution.  The 14th Amendment grants automatic citizenship to all babies born on US soil.

KPHO