Anchor baby

Anchor baby is a term (regarded by some as a pejorative[1][2]) used to refer to a child born to non-citizen parents in a country that has birthright citizenship which will therefore help the parents and other family members gain legal residency.[3] In the U.S., the term is generally used as a derogatory reference to the supposed role of the child, who automatically qualifies as an American citizen under jus soli and the rights guaranteed in the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.[4][5][6] The term is also often used in the context of the debate over illegal immigration to the United States.[7] A similar term, "passport baby", has been used in Canada for children born through so-called "maternity" or "birth tourism".[8][9]

  1. ^ Chavez, Leo (2013-04-17). The Latino Threat: Constructing Immigrants, Citizens, and the Nation, Second Edition. Stanford University Press. pp. 203–. ISBN 9780804786188. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  2. ^ Gallagher, Charles A.; Lippard, Cameron D. (2014-06-24). Race and Racism in the United States: An Encyclopedia of the American Mosaic: An Encyclopedia of the American Mosaic. ABC-CLIO. pp. 50–. ISBN 9781440803468. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  3. ^ "Anchor Baby". Oxford Dictionary. 1 November 2009. Archived from the original on July 5, 2013.
  4. ^ Barrett, Grant (December 24, 2006). "Buzzwords: Glossary". The New York Times. anchor baby: a derogatory term for a child born in the United States to an immigrant. Since these children automatically qualify as American citizens, they can later act as a sponsor for other family members.
  5. ^ Zorn, Eric (August 18, 2006). "Sinking 'Anchor Babies". Chicago Tribune. 'They use it to spark resentment against immigrants,' Rivlin said of his ideological foes. 'They use it to make these children sound non-human.' To me, that's good enough reason to regret having used it and to decide not to use it in the future.
  6. ^ "Family-based Immigrant Visas". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 2015-09-07. Retrieved August 16, 2015. U.S. citizens must be age 21 or older to file petitions for siblings or parents.
  7. ^ "anchor baby". Double Tongued Dictionary. 27 November 2006. Anchor baby: n. a child born of an immigrant in the United States, said to be a device by which a family can find legal foothold in the US, since those children are automatically allowed to choose American citizenship. Also anchor child, a very young immigrant who will later sponsor citizenship for family members who are still abroad.
  8. ^ "Tory crackdown on 'birth tourists' will eliminate Canadian passport babies". National Post. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
  9. ^ Yelaja, Prithi (2012-03-05). "'Birth tourism' may change citizenship rules". CBC News. Retrieved 2013-11-20.

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