Immigration Debate Fueled by First Baby Sweepstakes

Nina Bernstein of The New York Times reported today on what was originally thought as a good publicity stunt in the form a United States Savings bond worth $25,000 to be granted to the first new New Year's Baby - clarification, the first American baby that is. The benefactor of this savings bond was Toys "R" Us, and its sister store Babies "R" Us. Unfortunately what could have been a blessing to the first American baby born in the New Year, and great publicity for the chain of Toys "R' Us and Babies "R" Us, has now backfired and turned the stunt into a political immigration debated fueled by The First Baby Sweepstakes nightmare, as the first baby born in New York for 2007 was a Chinese American baby - thus the recipient was disqualified. The baby girl qualified for the prize in that she was born in America, and was the first baby born in New York after the stroke of midnight, and she is in fact a citizen. The disqualifying factor however was that she was born to Chinese immigrant parents sparking a debate about the current state and the growing reality of the demographic realities in the United States. The baby girl's mother unfortunately is not a resident, and according to contest rules makes the infant ineligible.