<p>My high school senior still can’t believe her math teacher asked her class yesterday if Obama was born in the United States. My daughter said you could hear a pin drop - the students were stunned that a teacher did not know a very basic civics fact. The teacher was <em>not</em> trying to engage them in a political discussion, given that we live in a Super Tuesday state, but simply having her usual stream-of-consciousness monologue.</p>
<p>Am I expecting too much of our public high school, which touts itself as being one of the best on the area?</p>
<p>Yes, she obviously doesn’t know that one has to be born in the US to qualify for the presidency (and no sense running if one doesn’t). But, hey, don’t insult math teachers. My kid is mathy, but he knows his civics. And cast his primary ballot for Obama.</p>
<p>He was born in Panama when his parents were stationed there. It was an American Protectorate at the time but not a part of the United States. However, because his parents were American, he’s considered a native-born son. </p>
<p>I don’t believe one has to be born in the United States if at least one of the parents is a US citizen and has lived in the United States for at least five years.</p>
<p>The teacher’s confusion may arise from the fact that Obama spent part of his childhood in Indonesia; his stepfather was Indonesian. Obama was born in the United States, however, so the following is not relevant to his situation, but might be for another candidate, some day.</p>
<p>Who is a natural-born citizen? Who, in other words, is a citizen at birth, such that that person can be a President someday?</p>
<p>The 14th Amendment defines citizenship this way: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” But even this does not get specific enough. As usual, the Constitution provides the framework for the law, but it is the law that fills in the gaps.</p>
<p>Currently, Title 8 of the U.S. Code fills in those gaps. Section 1401 defines the following as people who are “citizens of the United States at birth:”</p>
<pre><code>* Anyone born inside the United States
Any Indian or Eskimo born in the United States, provided being a citizen of the U.S. does not impair the person’s status as a citizen of the tribe
Any one born outside the United States, both of whose parents are citizens of the U.S., as long as one parent has lived in the U.S.
Any one born outside the United States, if one parent is a citizen and lived in the U.S. for at least one year and the other parent is a U.S. national
Any one born in a U.S. possession, if one parent is a citizen and lived in the U.S. for at least one year
Any one found in the U.S. under the age of five, whose parentage cannot be determined, as long as proof of non-citizenship is not provided by age 21
Any one born outside the United States, if one parent is an alien and as long as the other parent is a citizen of the U.S. who lived in the U.S. for at least five years (with military and diplomatic service included in this time)
A final, historical condition: a person born before 5/24/1934 of an alien father and a U.S. citizen mother who has lived in the U.S.
</code></pre>
<p>Anyone falling into these categories is considered natural-born, and is eligible to run for President or Vice President. These provisions allow the children of military families to be considered natural-born, for example"</p>
<p>I think that if children are born abroad to US citizens, the birth has to be registered with the US embassy so that the child can be properly recognized as a US citizen. A US embassy is US territory.</p>
<p>I met a young man who was born to an American serviceman who was then serving in Iran, and his Vietnam-born wife. He and his wife were advised to return to the US for the birth of their child so that there would be no confusion as to his citizenship.</p>
<p>cross-posted with midmo, whose information is more thorough and accurate. But it is still crucial to register the birth at a US embassy if the child is born abroad.</p>
<p>First, I wouldn’t condemn an entire school system for a remark by one teacher. Not everyone in the US is involved in politics or even aware of basic civics. Be glad that the kids knew the answer. </p>
<p>But, back to the midmo’s list. How will this affect the elections in the years to come? How will a person who happens to have been born in the US to “illegal aliens” (I’m not sure what the term will be then) be treated when he/she is a candidate?</p>
<p>A person born on US soil, regardless of the status of his/her parents, is a US citizen. That’s why there are many pregnant women who try to cross the borders, so that their children will be citizens immediately. (US soil, as noted above, includes some protectorates and territories, like Puerto Rico and Guam, and may include embassies.</p>
<p>wikipedia takes a stab at answering Chedva’s question. It doesn’t seem to affect very many people. The relevant paragraph is rather far down the article.</p>
<p>2cakes: I’ve seen this subject come up in op-ed pieces over the last couple of years. They are citizens, but there are those who would like to add some qualifications for eligibility for Presidency to avoid this scenario.</p>
<p>All embassies are considered extra-territorial. That’s why many people seeking asylum or protection against their own governments seek refugee in foreign embassies.</p>
<p>Charles Black, a Texan who taught Constitutional Law at Yale for decades, used to say: “Remember, most of the Constitution was drafted by Southerners. I don’t assume that ‘natural born’ means they thought a President had to be a citizen at birth. Maybe it’s being used as in: ‘These are the best natural born grits Ah ever et!’”</p>
<p>If I recall correctly, Kissinger would have loved to be president. But he was born in Germany (not to mention that his well-cultivated German accent would probably not have gone over well).</p>
<p>Not an expert on this, but I believe one must be born on American soil in order to be elected President. The term natural born seems to be problematic! </p>
<p>My brother was living/working in London when their son was born, employed by an American firm. Both parents are Americans. They were told at the embassy as they applied for the newborn’s passport that he couldn’t be President because he was born on American soil. This was said only in passing, but they have always assumed that to be true. I believe military installations, embassies, etc are considered American soil, but not the British hospital where nephew was born. This would seem to contradict the source noted above. </p>
<p>I also thought the fact that A. Schwarzenegger is a naturalized American citizen precluded his being elected to the presidency. Maybe I’m wrong…</p>
<p>Actually, her question is valid. There has been so much different information regarding his past, that perhaps she was asking for clarification, or to get kids thinking. You do NOT have to be born in the US to be a natural born citizen. You may be born overseas under certain circumstances and meet the criteria. Many people heard he lived in Indonesia, etc. I checked his website and it mentions he was born on the date, but not where, and never mentions Indonesia. Other sites mention born in Hawaii and living in Indonesia.</p>
<p>It’s interesting that people would think he was born in Indonesia. He didn’t move to Indonesia until his mother’s second marriage, when Barack was 6. I wonder why, if they’re guessing, they wouldn’t think that he was possibly born in Africa, since his father was from Kenya. He actually was born in Honolulu, where he spent most of his childhood.</p>