Irish Vote For New Citizenship Rules

Almost 80% of the voters in Ireland, the last European Union country to give the right of citizenship automatically to all children born on its soil, have cast ballots in favor of a referendum to delete the right to automatic citizenship. The government is expected to quickly draft new legislation so that parliament can approve new law to close the citizenship "loophole."

The stance of the EU and Ireland runs counter to the philosophy employed by the United States, where it seems that anyone giving birth within sniffing distance of the border is automatically awarded citizenship and head-of-the-line status for health benefits, education benefits, social security, and driver's licenses.