What’s Up in Oregon? Dred Scott Making a Comeback?

The Oregon Republican Party, tapping into the frustration over illegal immigration, approved a resolution last weekend that would deny citizenship to babies born on U.S. soil to illegal and legal immigrants who are not citizens. But the author of resolution, which was approved at the party’s biennial convention, acknowledged that his words probably won’t turn to action anytime soon. “I wanted to light a fire and the resolution was the first step,” said Jim Lehman, chairman of the Wasco County Republican Party. “There’s enough people that want to see something done and they don’t want to see the abuses.” Constitutional scholars say the platform conflicts with the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which states that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.” “I am not aware of any dispute among constitutional scholars about the meaning of the first clause of the 14th Amendment,” said Greg Chaimov, a government law specialist with Davis Wright Tremaine.   Click here for the story.

KJ