By P.C. Staff
Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush claimed his use of “anchor babies” was referring to people who take advantage of birthright citizenship, primarily Asians.
Bush used “anchor babies” in reference to “birth tourism,” specifically Chinese women who pay agencies to bring them to the U.S. in the hope of giving birth in the states in order to gain citizenship.
According to the Republican hopeful, “. . . people are bringing pregnant women to have babies simply because they can do it. You better have enforcement so that you don’t have these, you know, ‘anchor babies,’ as they’re described, coming into the country.”
Earlier this week, Bush further clarified his statement because “. . . frankly it’s more related to Asian people coming into our country having children in that organized effort, taking advantage of a noble concept, which is birthright citizenship.”
Since his remark last Friday, Bush has received considerable backlash from the Asian American community labeling Asians as “anchor babies” is derogatory.
The loaded term “anchor baby” conceals complex issues http://t.co/SsTleFIOLy pic.twitter.com/EYBTaXn8y1
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) August 27, 2015
Bush on Monday said his “anchor babies” comment was more meant to refer to the “birth tourism industry.”
Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) on Jeb Bush’s controversial comments linking Asians to “anchor babies”: “Yesterday, Jeb Bush sounded like he wants to divide us, pit one group against each other, one neighbor against another. This is not the American dream.”
