[One_Happy_Momma]

Can your child become President of the United States? -


I’m excited for the historical Election of 2008. At the end of this election, we will either have the 1st African-American President or the 1st Female Vice-President.

Exciting for my girls, that they will get to dream or strive for something attainable; which got me to thinking about your children who were born in Guatemala, but are now U.S. citizens. Will your children be eligible for the Presidency of the United States?

… Well this goes for any child adopted internationally.


…And what about children who were born in the United States, but were adopted-out to foreign Countries. Can they someday return to the U.S. and become President?

[jeannecr]

Under current law, someone has to be born here to become president, so our children cannot aspire to that unless the law changes. Here in Calif., our immigrant Gov. Schwarznegger has been advocating changing the law. As for children adopted from here to other countries, I would think they could do it if they maintain their citizenship.

[kacmom1]

Yes, you have to be born in the US to be elected President.
It's funny...my kids and I were talking to Luca the other day about what he wants to be when he grows up (ok, he's only 5...but it's fun to talk about it!!!!). I told him "you can be anything that you want!" ...and my 9 year old said "EXCEPT President!" Luca said, "that's ok...I wasn't going to pick President anyway!"

[Devora]

Not quite right...You do not have to be born in the US....The constitution says you have to be a "natural born citizen" .

Our children are immigrants and naturalized citizens so they are not eligible to be president. They are citizens now but they were not US citizens at birth.

However, if you are born abroad to a parent who is a US citizens then you are a citizen at birth regardless of where you are born. For example, military members stationed overseas who are US citizens and who have children born overseas -- their children are still natural-born citizens and are believed to be eligible for the presidency.

I say believed to be because this is a point of debate among constitutional scholars. However, it appears that the debate is now resolved and any opposition is being ignored. I say this because John McCain was born in Panama to US citizens, but there is no real opposition to his candidacy on the grounds that he's not eligible for the office. He was a US citizen at birth, although he was not born in the US. (He was born on a US naval air station and the canal was under the control of the US at the time, but scholars who think that "natural born" extends to him generally also say it extends to anyone born to US citizens. For example, if you are born in a foreign hospital and not on US-controlled property, you are still a citizen from birth if you are born to a US citizen.)

[giovanni7460]

Wow I dont even think I want G or Antonio to become President.
To be honest I really want Giovanni to learn how to tie his shoes. Thats driving me nuts and he is only 5.
Patty

[mommyto2guatboys]

This is funny that this post just came up. I was talking to my husband about this the other day because the lady at the doctors office said to my son, you're going to grow up to be our president. I just bit my toung, but then it got me thinking. Well this isn't fair for our children at all. I understand some of the reasons for it, but as internationally adopted children at such young ages i don't think it's fair. It makes me alittle sad that our children don't even get to dream about being the president of the US, okay I know it is a one in a million chance they would be the president, or probably even want to be, but they should be able to dream like all of the other kids! I was thinking about writing to some represenatives, Gov. Shwarzenager asking to get something rolling, anyone else in?

Magen
My family!

[jules17]

Don't you all think that when our child(ren) could potentially run for/become president (in 30-40 years)...this will have changed? I do.

[Devora]

but as internationally adopted children at such young ages i don't think it's fair.

It sounds like you're saying that internationally adopted children who were adopted young should be eligible for the presidency -- but perhaps that other immigrants shouldn't be? I just want to make sure that I'm understanding what you're saying because it doesn't quite makes sense to me.

It seems to me that if our children should be eligible then all immigrants should be eligible, whether they were internationally adopted or not and regardless of how old they were when they arrived in the US. I don't see how our children are different from children adopted at older ages (where would the line be drawn?) or other immigrants.

There is, in fact, some legal scholarship around the argument that the eligibility requirement is antiquated. It was made in part to avoid foreign influence or foreign "takeover" as well as to avoid the establishment of an aristocracy in the US (by preventing members of the European aristocracy from becoming president). I think we're far from having to worry about the European aristocracy taking over our government! And in this era of global migration, global economy, and global politics the distinction between naturalized US citizens and citizens by birth seems arbitrary.

So I would agree that it might be time to rethink the constitutional requirement -- but I would apply that to all US citizens, not just to internationally adopted children.

[Waiting4Celeste]

Originally Posted by giovanni7460

Wow I dont even think I want G or Antonio to become President.
To be honest I really want Giovanni to learn how to tie his shoes. Thats driving me nuts and he is only 5.
Patty

hahahaha!!
I just want Celeste potty-trained...

[susy...patience]

The poster who talked about the McCain born in Panama debate had the law cited correctly.......

So our kids aren't eligible....but a Guatemalan who lived in US for a long, long time is now VP of Guatemala (I believe he was dr in Houston)

[stephjoel99]

Originally Posted by Waiting4Celeste

hahahaha!!
I just want Celeste potty-trained...

Same here! LOL!

[waitinginnj]

There are actually two proposed laws floating around and they have been for a long time. One is the concept of all naturalized citizens being eligible and one is for children who immigrated prior to a certain age being eligible, which would include international adoptees. I think the second was being presented by a midwestern politician, but I haven't tracked in a long time. Don't recall who he is. The data was on this site though years ago, so if someone wanted to go data mining, I am sure that they could find the info. There was even a link to the website run by the official.

[mommyto2guatboys]

[quote=Devora]It sounds like you're saying that internationally adopted children who were adopted young should be eligible for the presidency -- but perhaps that other immigrants shouldn't be? I just want to make sure that I'm understanding what you're saying because it doesn't quite makes sense to me.

I wasn't trying to say that our kids get special treament or anything, but I was saying like an above poster stated about a law trying to be changed about children who immigrated here at younger ages, meaning any immigrants, and our children. You even stated yourself the law is there to protect our country from those who could take over and have affiliation to other countries. I think that chidren who immigrated here at young ages would not apply to the law, that is just what i was trying to say that it didn't seem fair that our children didn't get this opportunity. Nothing against immigration, if you knew me I am all for who ever wants to live in thie country, it's a free land.

Magen
My family!

[Devora]

Thanks for clarifying -- that's why I asked because I wasn't sure.

[ctquilter]

When our Korean-born adopted daughter was in 4th grade and learned about the rules for the Presidency, she was furious that she couldn't be President if she wanted. So she sat down and wrote a letter to Ronald Reagan telling him that she would be a good President and it wasn't her fault that she was born in another country, so change the rules so she could be elected. She never got an answer, and I guess he didn't rush out to sponsor a bill to change the rules.