August 11th, 2010
04:09 PM ET

Report: 8% of U.S. newborns have undocumented parents

One of about every 12 babies born in the United States in 2008 was the offspring of unauthorized immigrants, a Pew Hispanic Center study released Wednesday concluded.

According to the study, an estimated 340,000 of the 4.3 million babies born in this country that year had parents who were in the United States without legal documentation.

The 14th Amendment to the Constitution stipulates that those children automatically become U.S. citizens, but some members of Congress are pushing to change that provision. That effort - rooted in the debate over illegal immigration, particularly of people from Mexico - has created some controversy.

"This has got a lot of attention in the past weeks," said Jeffrey S. Passel, the study's author. "The idea was just to put a number on it."

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Filed under: Immigration • U.S.
soundoff (13 Responses)
  1. HernandezUSA

    One of about every 12 babies born in the United States in 2008 – this data is two years old.....

    August 11, 2010 at 4:19 pm | Report abuse |
    • Brian

      Lindsey Graham and the Republicans are seeking to repeal and replace the 14th Amendment to address the issue.

      According to House Minority Leader, John Boehner, they want to replace it with a 28th Amendment that is twice as strong. They claim that the Democrats slipped the 14th Amendment through as part of the $15,000 Buggy Bailout Bill of 1866.

      Read this article. VERY FUNNY.

      http://www.dailygoat.com/?p=2508

      August 12, 2010 at 1:24 am | Report abuse |
  2. HernandezUSA

    There used to be all kinds of Developed countries that gave away their citizenship as freely as we do in the U.S. But one by one they all have recognized the folly of that policy.

    SOME MODERN COUNTRIES THAT RECENTLY ENDED THEIR BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP POLICY

    Australia's birthright citizenship requirements are much more stringent than those of H.R. 1868 and took effect in 2007.
    New Zealand repealed in 2006
    Ireland repealed in 2005
    France repealed in 1993
    India repealed in 1987
    United Kingdom repealed in 1983
    Portugal repealed in 1981

    Its time for the United States to get out of the stone age

    August 11, 2010 at 4:20 pm | Report abuse |
  3. cat

    Sure is 2008 news in here.

    August 11, 2010 at 4:43 pm | Report abuse |
  4. abbydelabbey

    You want to stop illegal immigration - build the equivalent of the Berlin Wall -
    You want to pick lettuce, tomatoes, etc. - you go ahead and do it in the 100+ degree temperatures without bathrooms, potable water, etc.

    August 11, 2010 at 5:46 pm | Report abuse |
    • TexVet

      Man, I wish we could build a wall like that along the mexican border.

      August 12, 2010 at 9:05 am | Report abuse |
  5. America

    Man I hate mexicans.

    Sincerely,

    Me.

    August 12, 2010 at 2:45 am | Report abuse |
  6. Me

    Man I hate americans.

    Sincerely,

    Mexico.

    August 12, 2010 at 3:12 am | Report abuse |
  7. Dave

    Isn't this grounds to impeach Obama for not doing his job of enforcing our laws and protecting us from harm?

    August 12, 2010 at 8:40 am | Report abuse |
  8. reaper

    Go US!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUkcjAtzzcI

    August 13, 2010 at 12:11 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Tina

    Changing the 14 Amendment is crazy over such a small percentage of births. Politicians are once again losing focus on important issues such as the economy and needed job growth.

    August 13, 2010 at 9:08 pm | Report abuse |
  10. EcoDude

    I noticed that the liberals (Tina) are saying that 8% of all U.S. births are the children of illegal aliens is a small percentage that is 340,000 babies a year 3.4 million babies a decade to illegal aliens that is insane not a small percentage. We need to change the 14th Amendment immediately. We take the hundreds of billions of dollars we will save and pay down the national debt. The simple fact is we cannot keep ignoring this invasion, what we need to do is encourage the best and the brightest not future welfare cases.

    September 16, 2010 at 12:34 am | Report abuse |
  11. Randy Ice

    A nation without borders is not a nation. We need sensible immigration reform immediately, Illegal aliens are criminals, as are the individuals and corporations that hire them. To really solve the problem, we need high fines for employers and better enforcement.

    September 16, 2010 at 8:41 am | Report abuse |