2d ago

Do you think states should have the right to give a separate "State Citizenship" as a totally separate thing from the US Citizenship?

I mean, red states don't like undocumented immigrants, and everyone seems to love "States Rights" so would is there anything wrong with Blue States just setting up their own requirements and procedures to obtain Citizenship in Blue States? Let them vote in all Statewide Elections. Essentially just make this like the American version of the EU, Citizenship is with the States, and if the Federal government is being a dick and doesn't give them Federal Citizenship, well fuck them, Let States decide if they are welcome or not.

9 comments

NO
Despite what pur country could be, it is a single nation made ip of states and everyone who is a citizen is a citizen of the entire country. State level citizenship would be ripe for racists and bigots to deny citizenship again.
- Tbf, I as a non-white naturalized US Citizen, I would never wanna go to a red state anyways. Not much of a loss.
Dissolving the union. That's what dissolving the union looks like.
- True, but at this point i can't say that's a bad thing. Not many places in this country are even decent, but those that are are being held down by the red states. Sure, I'd have to escape my shithole state if it happened, but at least where i end up would have the chance to be better than what we have now. And the red states would completely collapse, allowing anyone who does stay the opportunity to reform them.
There doesn't exist a means through which a state could grant citizenship because the federal government grants citizenship.
Green cards are the next step below naturalized citizen. So you are looking to establish a process to become a green card holder, or lawful resident. That is, once again, a federal process.
To make a state originated green card would require an act of Congress and a constitutional amendment because granting citizenship or lawful resident status is a power granted to the federal government.
So basically no chance without a major change in voting, like a clean sweep of federal and mid-term elections with a supermajority Dem congress. That would not really result in a state originating green card, but would allow for mass naturalization of illegal immigrants once the appropriate appointments were made. Enacting a state originated green card at that point would just get challenged and would get struck down due to citizenship being granted to the federal government in the Constitution and affirmed by the Supreme Court in Chirac v Chirac.
On the one hand it’s an interesting idea and there are already people like myself with dual citizenship between the States and a Native American Tribe. (Not to mention that part of Trump’s birthright shit aims to strip indigenous persons of citizenship.)
On the other hand the US has always been a hybrid between federal and national government systems. Past experience has shown that human rights really can’t differ between states and still have everybody get along. Moving to a paradigm where the Equal Protection Clause all of a sudden has a citizenship sized hole in it seems like a very bad idea especially with the most recent Supreme Court rulings.
By building a wall around each state?
Undocumented immigrants are undocumented regardless of state by nature. What use would state citizenship be?
The concept of citizenship itself is flawed beyond redemption.
But I agree with the broader point. States should do whatever they can to protect their residents from fascist violence.
- Finally a good take. Suprised how influenced by nationalism everyone is here.

9 comments

NO