CAPS To Launch Anchor Baby TV Ad In Presidential Debate In Iowa, South Carolina And California

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS) will air a new TV commercial tomorrow night in CNN's first Democratic Presidential debate.  The commercial is scheduled to air multiple times in the debate across major markets in Iowa, South Carolina and California.  The ad is designed to help Americans understand what presidential candidates mean when they reference "anchor babies" and where candidates stand on granting automatic citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil. 

More than 300,000 babies are born in the U.S. to illegal immigrants each year, about 8% of all U.S. births.  Pew Hispanic Research estimates there are 4 million children residing in the U.S. today who were born in the U.S. to illegal immigrants.

Under current policy, when a citizen of another country gives birth to a child on U.S. soil, whether here as a tourist or illegally, the baby automatically gets U.S. citizenship along with taxpayer funded benefits.   And once the baby gets citizenship, the parents eventually become eligible for U.S. citizenship and benefits too.  Then the parents' extended families can apply for citizenship.   The U.S. and Canada are the only two developed nations that still allow birthright citizenship. 

"Why should a citizen of another country who has broken our laws be rewarded with U.S. citizenship and taxpayer benefits for them, their children and their extended family?" asked Jo Wideman, Executive Director of Californians for Population Stabilization. "That's not fair to those who are following the rules to immigrate here the right way.  And it's not fair to the American taxpayer either."

Several Presidential candidates have called for ending birthright citizenship, citing constitutional scholars who say the current policy fundamentally misinterprets the citizenship clause in the 14^th amendment.  The Supreme Court has also acknowledged that Congress's power over naturalization is absolute while judicial power is extremely limited. 

"France, Germany, Japan, the U.K. and most developed countries around the world ended birthright citizenship decades ago.  It's time for the U.S. to end it too," concluded Wideman.

To learn more about CAPS, visit CAPSweb.org.  To view the TV commercial, visit USAnchorBabies.org.

SOURCE Californians for Population Stabilization