During a discussion about immigration this morning on Fox & Friends, co-host Brian Kilmeade used the term “anchor babies” to describe children of undocumented immigrants. However, unlike other instances on Fox when the term has been used, today the network used it as a legitimate term, as though this was the accepted phrase to use when discussing immigration, blatantly disregarding the fact that the term “anchor babies” has been called "derogatory, even racist."
From the February 23 edition of Fox & Friends, emphasis added:
KILMEADE: The Arizona Senate Appropriations Committee has just passed a bill denying citizenship to children born to illegal immigrants in the United States. I sense a blowback. The Birth Right Citizenship Bill now moves to Arizona's full senate. Supporters of the measure say “anchor babies,” the term used to describe newborns whose parents are illegal immigrants, are a drain on Arizona's already strained social services and resources. Republicans are hoping the law will lead to a review of the 14th amendment by the Supreme Court.
Actually, the “term used to describe newborns whose parents are illegal immigrants” is “American citizen,” according to the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution:
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.
Additionally, as Media Matters has previously reported, the very idea of an “anchor baby” is a myth - although children of undocumented immigrants born in the United States are allowed citizenship as a birth right, these children may not sponsor their non-citizen parents for citizenship until they reach the are of 21, and even then there are numerous hurdles to do so.
So, there you have it - the term “anchor babies” is the term used to describe newborns whose parents are undocumented immigrants. Unless you've read the Constitution.