DEAR EDITOR:

In Monday’s paper, there was a lengthy article written by one Mona Charen expounding her beliefs concerning birthright citizenship in the United States. It seems that her biggest argument in favor of birthright citizenship is the 14th amendment of our Constitution, which states “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

Let’s look at this objectively. Are there legal ways to immigrate into the United States? Yes, there are, and the prescribed means to do so are quite clear. NONE of those prescribed methods include illegally entering the United States by crossing either the southern or northern border of the United States. Nor do any of those prescribed methods to legally immigrate to the United States include the use of or hiring drug cartel personnel to smuggle male or female adults or male or female children into the United States via illegal crossings of the southern or northern border.

In the case of women who may be pregnant at the time of said illegal crossing, the argument is frequently used that since the baby was “born” in the United States, the child “is” an American citizen, and the mother should also be granted citizenship in order to care for and raise the child. This technique is often called the “Anchor Baby” ploy. No one can deny that this has NOT and ISN’T happening at our southern and northern borders. “IF” this has happened even once, this action is an act of fraud against the United States, and last time I checked, fraud is still a crime in this country.

Perhaps it is time to propose a new constitutional amendment which clarifies the issue of birthright citizenship and prescribe penalties against any persons who attempt to circumvent the rules and laws of legal immigration and any claims of birthright citizenship for any children who may have been conceived outside of the borders of the United States. The Constitution of the United States is a “living” document, evolving with an ever-changing world, and amendments are required to address issues like this.

JIM FLORENCE

Windham