"U.S. Rep. Virgil H. Goode Jr. wants to end what he calls the nation’s “anchor baby situation” — and he’s willing to amend the U.S. Constitution if that’s what it takes.

In a Wednesday debate in Danville, Goode — a vocal foe of illegal immigration — repeatedly denounced the policy that guarantees American citizenship to anyone born in the United States.

“The anchor baby situation is a magnet for illegals to come to our country,” Goode said. “I’m opposed to that.”

Goode argues that illegal immigrants are sneaking into the United States to give birth so that their offspring automatically will become American citizens. With citizenship, he said, they become eligible for benefits such as food stamps and Medicaid.

“It’s a drain on our social services,” he said. “It’s a drain on our hospitals because in most cases they’re not going to pay.”

Goode, a six-term GOP incumbent, said in an interview that he is one of 104 co-sponsors of a bill in Congress that would prohibit the children of illegal immigrants from attaining instant American citizenship. He added that he would also support a Constitutional amendment to stop the practice.

“A Constitutional amendment? I support that,” he said. “A statutory fix? I support that too. I’m for either one. Whatever it takes.”

Goode’s challenger in the Nov. 4 election, Democrat Tom Perriello, called Goode’s opposition to automatic birthright citizenship is a “distraction” from the real issues facing Central and Southside Virginia.

The Federation for American Immigration Reform, which seeks to stop illegal immigration, estimates that more than 425,000 children are born to illegal immigrants in the United States each year. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency does not track how many of the nation’s new citizens are children of unlawful immigrants.

Birthright citizenship is guaranteed under the 14th Amendment, which states that, “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.” The amendment was ratified in 1868 as one of several reforms aimed at giving Constitutional rights to former slaves.

Ending the practice of birthright citizenship would unquestionably require a Constitutional amendment, said David A. Martin, a professor of immigration and Constitutional law at the University of Virginia School of Law.

“I definitely think it would require a Constitutional amendment,” Martin said.

Some opponents of illegal immigration argue that the 14th Amendment does not apply to children of illegal immigrants because they are in the country unlawfully. Such thinking, Martin said, is legally “thin” and “quite wrong.”

“We really do need to get illegal migration under control,” Martin said. “But it seems like changing the citizenship rules is a really self-defeating way to start. … This is the last thing we should do.”

Several European nations, such as France and Germany, do not offer automatic birthright citizenship. As a result, Martin said, many worry about what is called the “second generation” or “third generation” problem of immigrants who are never integrated into society because they have no easy path to citizenship.

Perriello, a national security consultant and faith-based initiative founder from Ivy, said that Goode’s advocacy for ending birthright citizenship is a “useless crusade that goes against the Constitution” and distracts from the most pressing issues facing the 5th District.

“I think this is an example of how Virgil Goode wastes a ton of time on something that’s never going to happen and is just a distraction from his terrible record,” Perriello said. “Every hour he spends on that is an hour that he’s not spending on bringing jobs to Southside Virginia.”

Andres Tobar, chairman of the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations, said the idea of “anchor babies” is absurd.

“The preponderance of people who are coming to the United States and are undocumented are coming to work and feed their families,” he said. “They aren’t coming because of citizenship.” (Brian McNeill, The Daily Progress, September 4, 2008)