Residents of one Southern California suburb are mad as hell about "anchor babies" and they are not going to take any more. They are standing united in protest against a hilltop home that they believe is serving as a maternity center for Chinese mothers who are paying thousands of dollars, to give birth to their babies here in the United States.
An "anchor baby" is a baby born to non-American citizens in the United States in order to gain American citizenship. It is a practice that infuriates many, including the residents of this California town where many of these mothers live until they give birth.
The pregnant Chinese women have come here legally on tourist visas, and will remain until they give birth. It's easy to see why people are upset. But, as a mom, I feel differently. After all, what mom doesn't want the best for her child?
I'd be willing to bet that most people would be willing to leave everything they knew and everyone they loved just to give birth in a place that would provide a better life for their child. Isn't that what every mother wants?
If your child were destined to be born in a country that kills its female babies or in a country so war torn that they only had a 25 percent chance of surviving to adulthood, wouldn't you try to get them somewhere safe?
If you knew the only way your child had a chance at a life free from terror, fatal poverty or even a fighting chance at survival, wouldn’t you go through hell and high water to get to a place where their life could be spared?
I don’t know for sure that “anchor babies” are why these women are staying in this hilltop hotel but, really, would it be so wrong? We can’t fault another mother for wanting the exact same life for her children that we want for ours.
I would do anything and everything to make sure that my children had all the good that the world had to offer, no matter the sacrifice. Even if it meant leaving my life behind. I would do that for my children. These women would, too. Can we fault them for that?
What lengths would you be willing to go to in make sure that your child is safe?
Image via Eden in China/Flickr
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Comments 64
Good point, Micheledo
@ Purpleflower: And who is going to take care of these American children who had their mothers ripped away from them? If they have no family in the US, the children will become another number in the foster system which is already overwrought with unwanted children. So you're saying you'd rather these children become basically orphans than let their illegal mothers become citizens? FYI to all of you delightfully ignorant people: JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A CHILD WHO IS A CITIZEN *DOES NOT* GUARANTEE CITIZENSHIP OF THE PARENT(S). As the wife of an immigrant I know this first hand. Having an American child DOES NOT give you a free ride to citizenship and Immigration DOES NOT take into consideration that deportion would cause families to fall apart and lives to be ruined. It's so funny how people just blab blab blab about things they know absolutely nothing about yet feel entitled to stand on a soapbox.
I don't understand how the un an the whole world can allow what's going on in china, is just disgusting!
Also, another thing that might be a contributing factor to this "issue" - China, if you did not know, has a one-child policy. Forced abortion is a frequent occurance. Infanticide and child abandonment is common practice. If a woman continues the pregnancy and wants to keep the child, she will receive a hefty fine and bring shame to their families. Given all of that, it is quite possible that the women who are able to afford to travel to the US are doing so to keep the child they would more than likely be unable to keep in China. Some of these "horrible" women might have brought their other child(ren) with them. All of you Pro-Lifers should appreciate this - instead of aborting or killing their babies, they found a way for their child to live. Ignorance is bliss when you live in comfort while others do not.
Obviously you cannot just hop on a plane and come to the US without a Visa of some sort. You only become "illegal" after you have overstayed, which depending on the Visa type could be a year or more. That does not make these women illegal (yet) and they have broke no law. They will have to file immigration paperwork just like any other immigrant, American child or not. And Ashes2Ashes, if I could help women from a communist country and save them from forced abortions and other equally horrible treatment simply because they became pregnant, I would do it in a heartbeat.
The Constitution should be amended to only allow babies of legal residents to become citizens.