Dr. Josh Pasek, professor of Communication and Media and Political Science, was recently quoted in a New York Times article titled, "Most Americans Favor Birthright Citizenship. That Wasn't Always True."
The article discusses the history of the fourteenth amendment, which addresses citizenship rights and equal protection under the law, and how public opinion on the topic has shifted over time.
Pasek says about birthright citizenship, "The increasing use of the term 'anchor babies' was the inflection point." He goes on to say, "It becomes very real to people. They stop thinking about it as a legal issue around the Fourteenth Amendment and start thinking about it as a social issue that matches their views on immigration."
