Karl Rove

Karl Rove: Birtherism Is A 'White House Strategy' (VIDEO)

Andrew Jones | February 17, 2011, 12:40PM

In Karl Rove's mind, the White House is really the one to blame for the continued birther hysteria.

On The O'Reilly Factor last night, the former Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush chastised the Obama Administration for not putting to rest the continued skepticism on the right about President Obama's true place of birth.

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Bob Wagner

Montana State Rep On Obama Citizenship: 'I'm Not Qualified To Say' (Video)

Andrew Jones | February 16, 2011, 2:00PM

The birther movement isn't going away anytime soon. And a Montana state representative on CNN last night demonstrated the continued skepticism on the right about the legality of Barack Obama's presidency.

State Rep. Bob Wagner (R) appeared on Anderson Cooper to talk about his introduction of a "birther bill" in the his state's capital. The bill requires "documentary proof of the kind established by rule by the secretary of state that shows that the candidate has complied with the durational citizenship and residency requirements for the office as prescribed by the United States constitution."

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Birthright citizenship

Vitter, Rand Paul Propose Amendment To Pare Back Birthright Citizenship

Eric Kleefeld | January 27, 2011, 2:37PM

Sens. David Vitter (R-LA) & Rand Paul (R-KY)

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and freshman Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) have now teamed up -- and they're aiming very high. The two have proposed a constitutional amendment, to get rid of birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants.

From their joint press release, their proposal will declare "a person born in the United States to illegal aliens does not automatically gain citizenship unless at least one parent is a legal citizen, legal immigrant, active member of the Armed Forces or a naturalized legal citizen."

I sought clarification from Vitter's office as to whether this would be a full-fledged amendment to the Constitution, or a lesser legislative route. It is indeed a proposed amendment to the Constitution.

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14th Amendment

Steve King Lays Out Plan To Abolish Birthright Citizenship

Eric Kleefeld | November 23, 2010, 11:01AM

Rep. Steve King (R-IA)

Rep. Steve King (R-IA), the staunch opponent of illegal immigration who is set to become the chairman of a key subcommittee on immigration, is setting his sights on the right-wing cause of ending birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants -- which many experts say would be unconstitutional.

And, as King told the local paper Cityview, his plan is to pass a statute anyway, and if it gets overruled in the courts, to then step up the effort to a constitutional amendment:

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FL-GOV

Rick Scott: I Don't Support Changing Birthright Citizenship (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 26, 2010, 1:14PM

Rick Scott

Rick Scott, the former health care executive who won Tuesday's primary to become the Republican nominee for governor of Florida, could be inching his way to the center after running his right-wing insurgent campaign: He does not support amending the Constitution or otherwise working to get rid of birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants.

Scott, who made his support for Arizona's crackdown on illegal immigration a strong point of his ads, was asked about birthright citizenship in an interview last night with John King on CNN.

"I don't believe we ought to be changing the law. I think we ought to leave the law exactly the way it is, the 14th Amendment," said Scott. When asked again by King for confirmation, Scott made it clear that he believes in birthright citizenship for all: "That is a right. If you're born in our country, you're a citizen of our country."

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LA-03

Louisiana Republicans Agree: Scrap Birthright Citizenship, 17th Amendment

Brian Beutler | August 18, 2010, 1:35PM

Tea Party activists in Washington, D.C.

At a Tea Party-sponsored debate in Louisiana last night, two House Republican hopefuls found a great deal of common ground. According to the Advocate, both support repealing the section of the 14th amendment that establishes birthright citizenship. Both would repeal the 17th amendment, which allows for direct election of U.S. Senators. Both would like to cut, and limit access to, Medicare and Social Security, and let charity organizations fill the gaps.

The two candidates -- Jeff Landry and Kristian Magar -- are vying to replace House Democrat Charlie Melancon of Louisiana's third district. They have third opponent as well: one-time Democrat, and former Louisiana House Speaker Hunt Downer, who didn't attend the debate. Downer is well liked, with broader appeal than his conservative rivals, but a recent change to Louisiana election law means that only registered Republicans can vote in the primary. And in Louisiana -- and the third district -- that's a minority of deeply conservative voters.

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Birthright citizenship

McCain: Actually, I Don't Support Ending Birthright Citizenship

Eric Kleefeld | August 13, 2010, 3:22PM

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has announced that he does not supporting amending the Constitution to eliminate birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants, an idea that has become a cause célèbre on the right.

Last week, McCain had told reporters, "I support the concept of holding hearings," a less than totally clear response that led people to believe he might support pursuing a change. But now McCain has clarified exactly what he meant -- telling the Associated Press that he was simply affirming the processes of the Senate itself.

"When I was asked ... I said 'Look, if senators want to have hearings then senators have hearings, that's how the Senate works, but I'm not requesting hearings,'" McCain said in an interview Thursday. "I'm devoting all my efforts to getting the borders secure, and if you get the border secure than the difficulties and challenges with this issue of people coming across our border illegally to have children is dramatically reduced."

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Terror Babies

Anderson Cooper Grills Shouting GOPer Louie Gohmert On 'Terror Babies' Conspiracy (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 13, 2010, 9:17AM

Oh, wow. Last night, Anderson Cooper hosted none other than Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), the main propagator in Congress of the "terror babies" conspiracy theory -- an alleged diabolical 20- to 30-year plot by terrorists to have babies born in the United States, then taken abroad and trained as terrorists before eventually returning here as U.S. citizens (thanks to birthright citizenship) to commit heinous crimes.

Gohmert previously went to the House floor in June and warned about this evil plan, saying he had heard about it from an unnamed former FBI agent. Then on Wednesday night this week, Cooper hosted an actual former FBI official, who explained that there are no reports of this at all.

Cooper brought Gohmert on last night, and began by asking him whether he had even called the FBI agent. And from there, it turned into a nice one-way shouting match -- that is, Gohmert yelling at Cooper repeatedly. At one point Gohmert did admit that he did not check with the FBI itself: "No, I didn't talk to them, because the point is: when we did the research, we found the hole existed."

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Terror Babies

Ex-FBI Official Debunks 'Terror Babies' Conspiracy Theory On CNN (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 12, 2010, 1:18PM

Anderson Cooper did a fun takedown last night of the latest right-wing meme against birthright citizenship -- that according to anonymous former FBI officials, there is a long-running plot to have "terror babies" born here as U.S. citizens, then flown overseas and trained to come back and attack the United States 20 to 30 years later. Last night, Cooper brought on an actual former FBI official to debunk it.

The "terror babies" plot has previously been discussed on the House floor by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX). On Tuesday night, Cooper hosted Texas state Rep. Debbie Riddle, who also pushed the great danger of the terrorist babies -- though she said she would not reveal her sources and did not have the evidence on hand. So on Wednesday night, Cooper hosted Tom Fuentes, who served as the FBI's assistant director in the office of international operations from 2004 to 2008.

"The FBI has 75 offices overseas, including offices in Jordan, Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Pakistan," explained Fuentes. "There was never a credible report -- or any report, for that matter -- coming across through all the various mechanisms of communication to indicate that there was such a plan for these terror babies to be born.

"Also, I'd like to add, there seems to be a lot of former FBI agents lurking in the halls of Congress and in the legislature in the state of Texas, so I'm kind of curious about that issue as well."

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Mike Huckabee

Huckabee Opposes Ending Birthright Citizenship

Eric Kleefeld | August 12, 2010, 11:25AM

Fmr. Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (R)

One potential Republican presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee, is now coming out against conservative efforts to end birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants.

"I don't think that's even possible," Huckabee said, when asked by NPR whether he would support repealing the language in the 14th Amendment that confers citizenship on all people born in this country. When asked whether he would favor the idea, Huckabee responded: "No. Let me tell you what I would favor. I would favor having controlled borders...but that's where the federal government has miserably and hopelessly failed us."

During his 2008 presidential campaign, Huckabee previously came out against efforts to amend the Constitution to end birthright citizenship. He was also attacked for his actions as governor of Arkansas, when he allowed in-state tuition at state colleges for the children of illegal immigrants, saying that children should not be punished for the crimes of their parents.

(Via the Huffington Post.)

14th Amendment

Poll: Half Of Americans Wants To Amend Constitution To End Birthright Citizenship

Thomas Rhiel | August 11, 2010, 1:30PM

Anti-immigration protesters march in Fort Worth, Texas

A new CNN poll finds the public divided on whether the Constitution should be amended to end birthright citizenship. The survey of 1,009 adults reports that 49% favor changing the Constitution to prevent the children of non-citizens from gaining automatic citizenship when born in the United States, while 51% oppose such a change.

Recently, a number of Republicans -- including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader John Boehner -- have opened the door to considering changes to the 14th Amendment, which has guaranteed birthright citizenship since 1868. Several Republicans claim the amendment rewards illegal immigrants who have so-called "anchor babies," children born as citizens in the United States to non-citizen parents. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said the push to repeal the 14th Amendment is evidence that Republicans have "either taken leave of their senses or their principles."

The poll has a margin of error of ±3.0 percentage points.

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14th Amendment

Crist And Rubio Agree: Don't Change The 14th Amendment

Evan McMorris-Santoro | August 11, 2010, 8:37AM

Marco Rubio (R) and Gov. Charlie Christ (I), candidates for US Senate in Florida

There's not much that Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (I) and former state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R) agree on anymore. That wasn't always the case, of course -- they used to be members of the same party before Crist bailed on the GOP after Rubio was leading him in the Republican Senate primary. But it seems that the pair are back on the same side once again when it comes to the nascent GOP crusade to repeal or alter the 14th Amendment to the Constitution: Both reject the idea outright.

As the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports, Crist and Rubio "have both now declared their opposition" to the plan, supported by many top Republicans, to alter the Constitutional right to citizenship for any baby born in the United States.

The two Democrats battling it out for their party's Senate nomination, Rep. Kendrick Meek and billionaire investor Jeff Greene, have also said they're opposed to any plan to change the constitution.

The unity in feeling here in Florida likely means that "whoever wins in November isn't likely to join with a growing group of Republicans trying to repeal the 14th Amendment of the Constitution in the name of immigration reform," the Herald-Tribune reports.

The TPM Poll Average shows Crist leading Rubio and Meek 37.8-33.2-14.7. When Greene is the Dem, the TPM Poll Average shows Crist leading 37.5-32.9-16.4.

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NV-SEN

Angle Backs Congressional Action On Stopping Birthright Citizenship

Eric Kleefeld | August 10, 2010, 9:48AM

NV Sen. candidate Sharron Angle (R)

Sharron Angle is now getting on board with those Republicans who are calling for an end to birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants. But instead of amending the Constitution, Angle is apparently in the camp that believes it can be done through legislation.

Jon Ralston reports that Angle said during a media availability yesterday that "certainly someone who has not come here under the rule of law is not under our jurisdiction." She also added: "I think Congress needs to become involved."

Birthright citizenship comes from the very first sentence of the 14th Amendment: "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." This was enacted in order to guarantee racial equality, especially for the freed slaves after the Civil War, and has been extended to cover all racial groups.

But when it comes to the children of illegal immigrants, some conservatives think they've found their loophole. However, experts have told TPM that any such plans to change the law are "clearly unconstitutional."

The TPM Poll Average for the Nevada Senate race gives Harry Reid a lead of 45.1%-42.7%.

NH-SEN

Ayotte Backs Repeal Of 14th Amendment's Birthright Citizenship Law (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 9, 2010, 6:27PM

US Senate primary candidate Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)

Kelly Ayotte, a candidate for the Republican Senatorial nomination in New Hampshire, is now giving her support to amending the Constitution to get rid of birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants.

On the bright side, though, she is saying we should of course be cautious about the whole thing, and says the best focus now is to secure the border.

As the Huffington Post reports, Ayotte told a voter who asked about the issue:

"Well, I know that there's a number of proposals that are being brought forward right now to look at that issue. And I think that we should. Because one of the issues is we have to, obviously, when we look at our Constitution, if we're going to propose any changes to it we have to be very thoughtful and careful about that because it's a great document. But that said, we have people who are coming here just to become, to get healthcare and then leave. And they're not even being part of our society and there's something wrong with that. But fundamentally, I think the best thing we can do right now is secure our borders, enforce our existing immigration laws and English is the language of our country."

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14th Amendment

Boehner On 14th Amendment Change: 'Worth Considering' Since Schools 'Overrun' With Illegal Immigrants (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | August 9, 2010, 8:42AM

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH)

Add House Minority Leader John Boehner to the list of Republicans who want to give the 14th Amendment, which allows any person born on U.S. soil U.S. citizenship, a second look. Boehner (R-OH) was direct when asked on NBC's Meet the Press about the growing calls from the GOP to hold hearings on the 14th Amendment, and said the nation's schools and hospitals are "being overrun" by illegal immigrants.

Boehner, who wants to be speaker of the House, said the "conversation" about what he believes is a "problem" should "continue."

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Mitch McConnell

McConnell Renews Call For Hearings Into Birth Tourism And Birthright Citizenship

Christina Bellantoni | August 5, 2010, 10:02AM

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said this morning he sees nothing wrong with hearings examining what he called the "burgeoning" and "unseemly" business of illegal immigrants coming to the United States to give birth for the purpose of the child being a natural-born U.S. citizen.

"What's wrong with looking into this? The Washington Post did," McConnell (R-KY) told reporters at a breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.

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Birthright citizenship

Immigration Advocates Say Anti-Birthright Crowd Going Mainstream

Christina Bellantoni | August 5, 2010, 8:01AM

Immigration reform advocates said they intend to aggressively challenge new calls for an examination of the birthright allowed by the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, with top officials saying the mainstream push is alarming.

"Many of these positions have been coming from the extreme side," Janet Murguía, president of the National Council of La Raza, said in response to a question from TPM. "Now we're starting to see obviously more mainstream voices with that push and it's extremely troubling to us."

Murguía was referring to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sen. John McCain and other top Republicans who say they are open to hearings looking at whether the Constitution should be changed to deny citizenship to children born of illegal immigrants who are on U.S. soil.

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14th Amendment

Feingold Says No To Amending The Constitution To Deal With Illegal Immigration

Brian Beutler | August 4, 2010, 3:36PM

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)

If Republicans seriously want to amend the Constitution to do away with birthright citizenship, they're right about one thing: the first place to start is with Congressional hearings. Today, in a statement to TPMDC, the senator who would chair those hearings says that's not gonna happen.

"We can and should address the problem of illegal immigration head-on without amending the Constitution," says Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI). "The way to do that is to pass bipartisan comprehensive legislation improving border security, protecting American jobs and addressing those currently in the country illegally. It is past time for Congress to resume the bipartisan effort that was started by President Bush and enact meaningful federal immigration reform."

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Alan Keyes

Alan Keyes: Lindsey Graham's Calls To Scrap Birthright Citizenship Are Too Crazy For Me (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | August 4, 2010, 2:37PM

Alan Keyes

Here's something you don't hear very often: a prominent Republican's policy position is too conservative for Alan Keyes. Speaking at a Tea Party Express-sponsored event in Washington this morning, Keyes said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is being irresponsible by suggesting, as he did recently, that the 14th Amendment may have been a bad idea.

Graham told Fox News that he plans to introduce a constitutional amendment that would remove automatic birthright citizenship for all babies born in the United States, even if their parents are here illegally. Graham and other Republicans have been whipping up opposition to the 14th Amendment, which they say encourages illegal immigrants to come to America with the plan to have babies who will automatically become U.S. citizens.

Keyes suggested that he shared the concern over so-called "anchor babies" with Graham and his allies, but he said that "the 14th Amendment is not the problem." Rather, he seemed to suggest, it's a mistaken interpretation of the amendment that's at fault. Changing the wording of the amendment would be a mistake, Keyes said -- and talk like Graham's is downright dangerous.

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Birthright citizenship

Grassley Agrees With Having Hearings On Ending Birthright Citizenship

Eric Kleefeld | August 4, 2010, 1:39PM

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

Yet another high-ranking Republican is eyeing the notion of changing the 14th Amendment to eliminate birthright citizenship for children who are born in the United States but whose parents are illegal immigrants. And this time it's a very senior name -- Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa.

Grassley's communications director Jill Kozeny told the Iowa Independent: "For the past few years, Sen. Grassley has told constituents he's concerned about the number of births in the United States by illegal immigrants wanting only to secure citizenship and benefits, and that he'd consider legislation to clarify the 14th amendment, especially if a comprehensive immigration bill is put forward. He'd agree that a hearing with legal experts and other parties of interest would help determine if changes are warranted."

Grassley joins the ranks of other top Republicans in calling for a review of this as an issue, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ), and possibly -- depending on some ambiguity -- Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

Immigration

Graham: 'Most Americans' Think Birthright Citizenship Odd, Are Offended By It (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 4, 2010, 12:59PM

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Appearing on Fox News today, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) fired back at Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) criticism of Republicans like himself who favor changing the 14th Amendment in order to eliminate birthright citizenship for the U.S.-born children of illegal immigrant parents.

Graham was asked about Reid's statement that Republicans backing this idea -- including Graham, who has said he wants to introduce a new constitutional amendment -- have "either taken leave of their senses or their principles."

"Have I taken leave of my senses by looking at a law that rewards people who break our own laws, that incentivizes the next wave of illegal immigration?" said Graham. "Am I being unfair to say that we're gonna grant citizenship on our terms, not yours? Am I being unfair to say that we don't want laws in place that will require the third wave of illegal immigrants to be dealt with.

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Birthright citizenship

McConnell Denies Calling For 14th Amendment Restrictions

Brian Beutler | August 3, 2010, 3:50PM

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell sought today to characterize his push for hearings on birthright citizenship as an educational exercise aimed solely at a small subset of wealy parents who enter the United States for the express purpose of having a child -- a practice known as birth tourism.

In an interview with The Hill yesterday, McConnell said that a 14th Amendment provision granting citizenship to all infants born in the United States should be reviewed. "I haven't made a final decision about it, but that's something that we clearly need to look at," he said. "Regardless of how you feel about the various aspects of immigration reform, I don't think anybody thinks that's something they're comfortable with." An aide to McConnell confirmed this with the Huffington Post. But today, McConnell denied that he was talking about all children born in the United States.

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14th Amendment

Reid On Birthright Crowd: 'Taken Leave Of Their Senses Or Their Principles'

Christina Bellantoni | August 3, 2010, 3:35PM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was asked today about growing calls from Republicans to hold hearings about the 14th Amendment and whether children born to illegal immigrants can rightfully be citizens.

Reid (D-NV) quoted extensively from a column written by Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson on Friday. Reid read this portion from the podium of his press conference:

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Immigration

McCain Faces Tough Questions About GOP Push To Repeal 14th Amendment

Brian Beutler | August 3, 2010, 12:31PM

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)

The GOP push to change the Constitution to eliminate so-called birthright citizenship is already causing problems for some of its own members. Case in point: John McCain.

In the final moments of a morning press conference about the stimulus, cohosted by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), McCain asked for one final question from reporters...which happened to be about the 14th amendment and birthright citizenship. McCain abruptly ended the press conference.

"We're talking about the stimulus right now," McCain said, before darting off to the elevators down the hall from the Senate studio, where he again declined to take a question. Reporters eventually caught up with McCain in the basement of the Capitol, where he was walking toward to the man-operated train connecting the Senate with the Russell office building.

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Birthright citizenship

McConnell Calls For Hearings To Change Birthright Citizenship

Eric Kleefeld | August 3, 2010, 9:36AM

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is now adding his voice to those Republicans flirting with an attempted repeal of birthright citizenship for the U.S.-born children of parents who are illegal immigrants -- by far the highest-level endorsement yet from the party establishment. Although McConnell did not take a firm position on the issue, he nevertheless seemed to paint this as a widespread, consensus belief: "I don't think anybody thinks that's something they're comfortable with," he said of the status quo, guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, in which anyone born in the U.S. automatically becomes a citizen, regardless of their parents' immigration status.

McConnell's office told Sam Stein on Monday that McConnell believes "we should hold hearings" on the subject, which has been much discussed on the right.

In a follow-up interview with The Hill, McConnell elaborated. "I think we ought to take a look at it -- hold hearings, listen to the experts on it," McConnell said. "I haven't made a final decision about it, but that's something that we clearly need to look at. Regardless of how you feel about the various aspects of immigration reform, I don't think anybody thinks that's something they're comfortable with."

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Immigration

No Citizenship For You! TPM Rounds Up The Anti-Immigration GOPers Targeting Birthright Citizenship

Eric Kleefeld | July 30, 2010, 8:39AM

Clockwise from top: Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), US Senate candidate J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Across the country, an out-there theme has been re-emerging among conservatives seeking to crack down on illegal immigration: End "birthright citizenship," a right based in the 14th Amendment, which leads to automatic citizenship for children born in the United States -- at least, end it as it applies to American-born children whose parents are here illegally.

Birthright citizenship in the 14th Amendment was intended, at least in part, to guarantee citizenship for freed slaves and otherwise secure legal equality: "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." Without the concept of birthright citizenship, it's possible for someone to be born without having citizenship in any country at all. Experts have told TPM that any plans to change that right are "clearly unconstitutional."

That's not stopping some right-wingers. Let's take a look at the list of conservatives who insist that birthright citizenship be done away with, either by constitutional amendment or (more often) by looking for a legislative loophole.

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Immigration

Lindsey Graham: Birthright Citizenship Is A Mistake (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | July 29, 2010, 3:20PM

Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC)

Is Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) starting to step away from his image as a relative GOP moderate? He's now calling for a constitutional amendment to end birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants, an idea that has become a cause célèbre on the right.

"But there's another problem we have in this nation that I think is novel and needs to be fixed. If you come across the border illegally and you have a child in America, automatically, that child becomes an American citizen. Under the 14th Amendment, three court cases says there's a constitutional right to that," Graham said in an appearance Wednesday on Greta Van Susteren's show.

He also added: "But I may introduce a constitutional amendment that changes the rules if you have a child here. Birthright citizenship I think is a mistake, that we should change our Constitution and say if you come here illegally and you have a child, that child's automatically not a citizen."

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AZ-SEN

Hayworth: Pregnant Women Are Flying Here So Their Kids Can Be Citizens! (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | July 29, 2010, 11:44AM

Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ)

Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ), who is challenging Sen. John McCain in the August 24 primary, has explained another reason to repeal birthright citizenship for all people born in the United States: That "birth tourism" is resulting in people around the world timing their pregnancies so that births coincide with visits to America.

During an appearance this morning on MSNBC, Hayworth said: "It's not exclusive to our neighbors to the south, from Mexico. Many families around the world in the jet age are timing the gestation period to come to the United States, to have the blessed event here, so that the new birthright citizen will have access to a phalanx of American benefits, courtesy of you and me and other American taxpayers."

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