It was passed for slaves to become citizens.'Anchor Babies' is another antiquated law that needs changed. Needed on the 1860's but a poor law for today. Silly that a foreign traveler just passing through the USA has an emergency delivery and the kid becomes a US citizen which allows all sorts of benefits even for the parents. Have people sneak into the country just to be here when their baby arrives so the family can claim benefits because the kid is a citizen. Nonsense at its best.