They and their parents are subject to the jurisdiction of our country when they are here..if not, we couldn't arrest, fine, imprison or deport them.
While their parents are in this country they are automatically granted due process rights under our constitution. It's what makes us who we are as a people.
If you want to make the argument against the child being an American automatically means the parents get to stay I won't disagree with that. They can either give the child up to foster care/adoption or take the child back with them to their country. When the child is of age it can come back to this country if they wish.
Maybe because travel was so much harder when this language was written could explain why the ambassador language was included...when ambassadors and ministers got here they were here for awhile.
The Sen. Howard quote says exactly what the 14th amendment says. Foreigner and aliens are attached to the who belong to language.
I don't like putting conditions on citizenship and don't like trying to change the meaning of amendments to fit our prejudices. It's like people saying the well regulated part of the 2nd amendment gives the government rights to take away my guns.
I have a friend that was born on Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland in 1973...they lived there for 6 months before moving to Tennessee...he is now and always be a Yankee. Where your born is where your from.