Arizona State Senator Russell Pearce Advocates for Revising the 14th Amendment

Arizona Senate President-elect Russell Pearce, a key architect of the state's immigration law, believes that the 14th Amendment's automatic U.S. citizenship provision for children born to illegal immigrant parents is unconstitutional and in need of revision. He claims that the amendment was never intended to grant citizenship to children of non-Americans and argues that this practice costs taxpayers $6 billion annually. Pearce's efforts, supported by a coalition of 18 states, aim to change federal law, which he believes is opposed by the majority of Americans.

Key Takeaways:

• Arizona State Senator Russell Pearce advocates for revising the 14th Amendment to deny automatic U.S. citizenship to children born to illegal immigrant parents.
• Pearce disputes that the 14th Amendment was intended to grant citizenship to children of non-Americans, citing historical evidence and Supreme Court decisions from the 1800s.
• He estimates the annual cost of granting citizenship to children of illegal immigrants at $6 billion.
• Pearce believes that Congress has the power to rectify the issue and that states have an inherent responsibility to protect their citizens.
• The majority of Americans (62-70%) believe that birthright citizenship is unconstitutional, according to polls cited by Pearce.

Statistics:

• Estimated annual cost of granting citizenship to children of illegal immigrants: $6 billion
• Number of states supporting Arizona's efforts to revise the 14th Amendment: 18

Sources:

• Federal News Service, Inc.
• Russell Pearce, Arizona State Senator (R-AZ)
• "YOUR WORLD" interview with Russell Pearce, December 28, 2010