Born in the USA? Some Chinese plan it that way

Amazing someone who immigrated here at 10 years old could never be President, but someone who was in the US <i>only</i> for their birth — until much later in life — <i>could</i> become President.<p>Ever since reading a first-hand account of a grade school student quietly thinking about how their teacher’s pronouncement that “any of you could become President!” was incorrect for that student, an immigrant, I have seen this clause as a bit excessive.

To be honest, I'm not especially bothered by this. You could (and many cable news and talk radio hosts have) make the case that this is just plain <i>wrong</i>, but isn't there worse things than having the children of affluent foreigners be American citizens? We're still a "nation of immigrants", I say the richer the better!<p>I'll admit my analysis of this is only cursory, so feel free to correct my reasoning.<p>Obviously if these children just take advantage of the system, get a cheap(er) education and return to China, it's a net loss for the USA, but it seems to me that a great many would stay here, presumably as "productive citizens".

My college roommate's parents did this (he's from the Philippines) 24 years ago. Once he was born they went back to the Philippines and his first experience in America was at age 18 when he came to the U.S. by himself for school.<p>It worked out pretty well for him. He has since graduated with a top notch degree and sponsored his family to come to the U.S. Kudos to them for having the foresight to do this in the mid 80's.

I don't know what part of the world you guys are from, but it's a fairly well known strategy in Turkey. I've had a friend who did that growing up. He had dual citizenship, one by right of birth and the other by right of parents. When you think about it, doesn't it make so much sense?

Interesting. The Constitution is pretty clear here -- if you're born on US soil, you're a US citizen. However, there's no requirement that the State Dept. issue visas to people who are 6-9 months pregnant.

This was popular with Korean moms some years back.