The Foreign-Baby Baby Problem

The practice of granting citizenship to every child born inside a country’s border stretches far back in history. In recent years however countries that once viewed citizenship a matter of jus soli, or a “right of the soil,” have changed their minds. When Ireland amended its constitution in 2004, for example, it meant that unconditional jus soli stopped being law in any European country. Australia made a similar change in 1986. These and other societies now generally require that at least one parent be a citizen, permanent or long-term legal resident. (Australia also grants citizenship to children of non-citizens if the children live there until age ten.)

The Conservative Party of Canada recently called for Canada to make a similar switch. Our current practice is to grant citizenship to practically all children born on domestic soil (those born to diplomats and other...