Rep. Steve King Introduces Birthright Citizenship Bill to New Congress

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) has introduced the first immigration bill into the 113th Congress – the Birthright Citizenship Act that would end the practice of giving automatic citizenship to every child born in the United States. H.R.140 would require at least one parent of newborns to be a U.S citizen or legal permanent resident in order to receive automatic citienship. The bill was introduced with 13 original cosponsors.The United States is one of two developed nations (Canada) to still offer automatic citizenship to all children born in the U.S. Most other developed nations have ended the practice over the past 20 years.Rep. King offered identical legislation in 2011 after taking the lead from former Rep. and current Georgia governor Nathan Deal who had offered the legislation in earlier Congresses. The bill clarifies that an individual born in the United States is “subject to the jurisidction thereof” if at least one of the parents is a U.S. citizen, a legal permanent resident, or an alien serving in the U.S. military.The 13 original cosponsors include: Rep. Lou Barletta (PA)Rep. Diane Black (TN)Rep. Mo Brooks (AL)Rep. Michael Conaway (TX)Rep. John Culberson (TX)Rep. Virginia Foxx (NC)Rep. Phil Gingrey (GA)Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX)Rep. Walter Jones (NC)Rep. Jeff Miller (FL)Rep. Richard Nugent (FL)Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (GA)Rep. Rob Woodall (GA)For more information on H.R.140, click here.