Some of the children were guaranteed full Portuguese citizenship, possibly based on lighter skin color, but not race.

But whether illegal immigrants come to this country to guarantee citizenship for their children is hotly debated.

The 14th Amendment was written to guarantee citizenship for freed slaves, he said, not for the children of immigrants.

An old idea has been revived - to tighten the generous Law of Return that guarantees citizenship to almost anyone with Jewish roots or spouse.

The original law guaranteed Israeli citizenship to Jews from anywhere in the world: "Every Jew has the right to come to this country."

Commonwealth supporters pushed for a broad definition that would guarantee American citizenship, among other things.

It asks that Israel strive to become a state of all its citizens by reconsidering the law of return, which guarantees citizenship to all Jews.

It guarantees equal citizenship, and it gives Congress power to enforce equality rights.

In 1950, the Israeli Parliament passed the Law of Return, which guarantees citizenship to any Jewish immigrant.

The children were guaranteed full Portuguese citizenship, provided the parents were married.