Anchor baby fallacy?

[Trinity]

Is 'anchor baby' a fallacy? I've seen a video where some journalist asks for another term to be used in place of 'anchor baby'. If someone continues to use 'anchor baby', would that be fallacious?

[lucious]

Never heard of this, what on Earth is it?

[Relativist]

I believe Trinity is referring to the concept of non-citizens coming to the United States, and giving birth to a baby while here.  According to the Constitution (14th amendment), anyone born in the U.S. is a citizen.

Given that Constitutional rule, there is at least the possibility that people come here (illegally, or legally) in order to have a U.S. citizen baby. This baby is then an "anchor."  If the non-citizen parents would like to live in the U.S., they can appeal to the fact that their baby has a constitutional right to stay, coupled with the sentiment against splitting up the family.

I don't see that the term "fallacy" applies because it is at least a theoretical possibility, and it entails no contradictions. The real issues include: how often does this occur? what problems (if any) does this cause? If it's truly a problem, what can we do about it?

[bdsimon]

Is 'anchor baby' a fallacy? I've seen a video where some journalist asks for another term to be used in place of 'anchor baby'. If someone continues to use 'anchor baby', would that be fallacious?

I'm voting no.

[bskeptic]

For continuing to use a term that someone dislikes?-- that doesn't sound like a fallacy, unless you have a good argument that the term is very misleading and inaccurate. If the term fairly represents the behavior of some people, then it can hardly be called a "fallacy".

If there was an argument given against the use of the term...

[SPF]

It sounds to me like a perfectly valid term that refers to a specific situation.  I think the issue is that it's just become politically incorrect. 

[bskeptic]

Yeah-- maybe some people don't like such a "judgemental" "negative" term, and want to come up with a different spin for it. So try to take away the stigma from what is terrible behaviour.

[Trinity]

Thanks for the comments. I suppose the term is 'impolite' at best, because it doesn't seem to be fallacious.

Bskeptic,

I don't remember any argument given against the use of the term, what I remember is that the journalist objected and suggested some other term to be used instead.