Elton Gallegly

Meet Elton Gallegly, The Chair Of The Immigration Committee

Rachel Slajda | January 12, 2011, 11:52AM

Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-CA) and Rep. Steve King (R-IA)

We told you last week that Rep. Steve King (R-IA) was passed over as chair of the House immigration subcommittee. King is prone to outrageous statements about immigration and a range of other subjects, and it seemed like a signal that the new Republican leadership wanted to take a more moderate tack -- at least on immigration.

But the person assigned to the subcommittee, Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-CA), is just about as far-right as King -- he's just quieter about it.

Gallegly has been trying to strip birthright citizenship from the children of illegal immigrants since 1991, when he introduced his first bill to do so. His proposals to change the 14th Amendment have failed repeatedly for 20 years. But now, as changing the birthright citizenship laws becomes increasingly mainstream, it looks as if Gallegly may finally have a chance.

Gallegly -- whose southern California district, like King's, is about 15% Hispanic -- supports amending the Constitution itself to change who counts as a citizen.

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Immigration

State Officials Pushing Legislative Fight To Stop 'Anchor Babies'

Rachel Slajda | January 6, 2011, 12:38PM

Pennsylvania state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe

Yesterday, state lawmakers from a handful of states stood up at the National Press Club and declared their intention to change the interpretation of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution so that children born in the United States would no longer be automatically granted citizenship.

It's the culmination of the last year's talk of "anchor babies," "terror babies" and strict immigration laws. Now, conservative legislators from at least five states say they have the answer to illegal immigration: Impose state laws declaring that the 14th Amendment doesn't apply to the children of illegal immigrants.

Lead by Pennsylvania state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R), the group says it is writing model legislation for states. The group fully expects any laws that pass to be immediately challenged on constitutional grounds -- and wants the issue to go to the Supreme Court.

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