Tancredo vs. Babies

Tom Tancredo vs. Illegal Babies

Tom Tancredo, Know Nothing-Colo., titles his book "In Mortal Danger," and now he's taking on the mortal danger of... babies?

The presidential candidate has introduced a bill that would strip citizenship from babies born to undocumented residents. Instead, those children would only become citizens when one parent is a citizen or permanent legal resident.

There may be a little problem: the 14th Amendment to the Constitution says "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."

The provision may seem silly to constitutional scholars, or indeed to anyone who's actually read the Constitution. But it resonates in the GOP base. At a recent Iowa City appearance by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, one woman raised the issue during questions, winning some applause with her claims that "planeloads and planeloads of pregnant women" are flying into the U.S. simply to give birth.

The Denver Post reports additional provisions:

Eliminates family-based immigration for extended family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Prohibits states from granting in-state tuition rates to illegal immigrants unless they offer the same tuition level to all U.S. citizens, regardless of state of residence.

Requires the president to build border fences authorized by Congress in 1996 and 2006.

Allows imprisonment of not less than one year of an employer who repeatedly and knowingly hires illegal immigrants.

Tancredo's bill has no cosponsors.