Vitter seeks limits to citizenship, congressional terms through constitutional amendments

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) is seeking not one but two amendments to the Constitution. One would deny U.S. citizenship to children born to illegal aliens, and the other would impose term limits on House and Senate members.

S. J.Res. 2 would change the Constitution to say that a child born in the U.S. "shall not be a citizen of the United States" unless at least one parent is a legal citizen, legal alien, active member of the U.S. armed forces or naturalized legal citizen.

"For too long, our nation has seen an influx of illegal aliens entering our country at an escalating rate, and chain migration is a major contributor to this rapid increase — which is only compounded when the children of illegal aliens born in the U.S. are granted automatic citizenship," said Vitter. "Closing this loophole will not prevent them from becoming citizens, but will ensure that they have to go through the same process as anyone else who wants to become an American citizen."

Vitter and co-sponsor Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said they do not believe the 14th Amendment confers U.S. citizenship onto children of illegal aliens, and that their language would clarify that it does not.

Vitter's other proposal, S. J.Res. 1, would prevent members of Congress from holding their office for more than 12 years. Specifically, it would prevent representatives from running for the House if they have already served six terms, including terms in which they filled a vacancy for more than one year.

Similarly, it would print senators from running for the Senate if they have served more than two terms, which includes vacancy terms in which they held the seat for three years or more.

Softening the blow for current members, the proposal would not count terms of office that begin before the amendment is ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures.