Why Should the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution Be Modified to Prevent Jus Soli Citizenship to Gestational Surrogacy Children?
Essay Summary
Surrogate mothers play a crucial role in providing children for couples who are unable to bear children. Sperms and eggs from the client couple are fertilized using IVF technology to produce an embryo. This embryo is then implanted into the surrogate mother’s womb to develop until the pregnancy is ready. Upon birth, the child will have the genetic makeup of the parents but bear some physical features of the surrogate mother.
This factor has contributed to the Chinese preference for American surrogates since their children will be born with specific Caucasian features. This kind of selective breeding is akin to the eugenics, since client couples reject fetuses that have certain defects. Another advantage of American surrogates is that children born in the US automatically become American citizens. Wealthy Chinese couples seek out surrogate services in a bid to give their children a head start in life because of the various advantages open to US citizens.
They also hope that they will get a green card after the child turns 18, and is eligible to apply for their parents to become citizens. With the one- child policy limiting their family size, surrogacy provides them with an avenue to have more children. Debate is raging as to whether or not the 14th Amendment should be changed to restrict those who exploit loopholes in system to acquire citizenship.
Those who support legislation argue that illegal immigrants are taking advantage of the system; while, opponents feel amendments will alter the true intentions of the founding fathers. Rather than introduce legislation, some people suggest surrogacy should be regulated to ensure that only those with genuine reasons benefit.
Question – Why should the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States be modified to prevent gestational surrogacy children jus soli citizenship?
Running Head: Gestational Surrogacy
Surrogacy has provided avenue for couples without children to have
Surrogate mothers play a crucial role in providing children for couples who are unable to bear children. Sperms and eggs from the client couple are fertilized using IVF technology to produce an embryo. This embryo is then implanted into the surrogate mother’s womb to develop until the pregnancy is ready. Upon birth, the child will have the genetic makeup of the parents but bear some physical features of the surrogate mother.
This factor has contributed to the Chinese preference for American surrogates since their children will be born with specific Caucasian features. This kind of selective breeding is akin to the eugenics, since client couples reject fetuses that have certain defects. Another advantage of American surrogates is that children born in the US automatically become American citizens. Wealthy Chinese couples seek out surrogate services in a bid to give their children a head start in life because of the various advantages open to US citizens.
They also hope that they will get a green card after the child turns 18, and is eligible to apply for their parents to become citizens. With the one- child policy limiting their family size, surrogacy provides them with an avenue to have more children. Debate is raging as to whether or not the 14th Amendment should be changed to restrict those who exploit loopholes in system to acquire citizenship.
Those who support legislation argue that illegal immigrants are taking advantage of the system; while, opponents feel amendments will alter the true intentions of the founding fathers. Rather than introduce legislation, some people suggest surrogacy should be regulated to ensure that only those with genuine reasons benefit.
Question – Why should the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States be modified to prevent gestational surrogacy children jus soli citizenship?
Running Head: Gestational Surrogacy
Surrogacy has provided avenue for couples without children to have
References: Black, E. (2012) War against the Weak: Eugenics and America 's Campaign to Create a Master Race, Dialog Press Daily Mail Reporter. (November 29, 2013) Wealthy Chinese couples paying $120,000 for American surrogates to increase their children 's chances of getting into an Ivy League school. Daily Mail. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2515712/Wealthy-Chinese-couples-paying-120-000-American-surrogates-increase-childrens-chances-getting-Ivy-League-school.html Greenhalgh, S. (2008) Just One Child: Science and Policy in Deng 's China. California: University of California Press Grier, P. (August 10, 2010). 14th Amendment: why birthright citizenship change 'can 't be done '. Christian Science Monitor, Retrieved from http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0810/14th-Amendment-why-birthright-citizenship-change-can-t-be-done Levine, H. B. (Summer, 2003). Gestational Surrogacy: Nature and Culture in Kinship. Ethnology, Vol. 42, No. 3, Mancini, J. & Finlay, G (September 2008). " 'Citizenship Matters ': Lessons from the Irish citizenship referendum". American Quarterly (American Quarterly) 60 (3): 575–599. doi: 10.1353/aq.0.0034. Parker, K. (May 25, 2013). Surrogacy exposed. Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/kathleen-parker-the-exploitation-of-surrogate-mothers/2013/05/24/90bc159e-c4b0-11e2-8c3b-0b5e9247e8ca_print.html Roth, C. & Levy, D. (2008). U.S. Citizenship and Naturalization Handbook, Clark Boardman Callaghan Sperling-Newton, J. (May 30, 2013). Surrogacy should be regulated, not banned. Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/surrogacy-should-be-regulated-not-banned/2013/05/29/2198c134-c7db-11e2-9cd9-3b Tucker, I. (2013). The Moment of Racial Sight: A History. University Of Chicago Press