Base U.S. Citizenship on the Parents’ Nationality

Re “The Baby Registry of Choice,” May 25: It has been common knowledge for some time that a pregnant woman who can cross the border and have her child on United States territory can legally claim American citizenship for the baby. Now it seems that women from Korea and Taiwan are doing the same thing. Illegal immigrants whose children are born in the United States are also automatically citizens.

Earlier in the history of the United States, our leaders felt it was important to have a larger population. To facilitate this idea, a clause was put into the Constitution that anyone born on U.S. territory would automatically be a citizen of this country.

Since American citizenship has become an increasingly valuable item in today’s world, foreigners have been taking advantage of our large borders and easy tourist visas to have their children here.

Australia and Britain had a similar provision in their laws, but some 20 years ago they changed their laws; perhaps it’s time we did likewise.

I believe the Constitution should be amended to read that any child born of American citizens is automatically a citizen. I further believe that this rule should apply whether the parents are living in the United States or abroad; the determining factor should be the citizenship of the parents, not the location of the birth. From the sentiments I have read and heard expressed, I believe this would be a popular revision to the Constitution.

Sanford Rothman

Los Angeles