azstarnet.com
Anchor babies" such as Genesis have grown up in all walks of American life.
Victor Manjarres Jr., 39, is the Border Patrol agent in charge at the Douglas station along the Mexican border.
Manjarres' father was an illegal immigrant from Mexico when his wife became pregnant. The pending birth of this new U.S. citizen prompted him to begin the process of legalization.
"I was really important to my dad. He wanted to be a U.S. citizen," his son says.
Critics of legal and illegal immigration say an estimated 1.5 million legal immigrants and an unknown number of illegal immigrants were added to the U.S. population last year - a rate they find unsustainable and unhealthy.
Groups such as NumbersUSA argue that the births of more than 300,000 anchor babies - to foreign tourists, legal temporary workers and more than 9 million illegal entrants - are driving that figure higher under the guise of family reunification.
The 14th amendment was adopted in 1868 to grant citizenship to freed slaves after the Civil War, they argue, not to make citizens of the U.S.-born children of foreigners.
The same sentiment is behind several legislative efforts to end birthright citizenship.
Posted by Suzanne at October 27, 2002