Several Houston charities—including the Salvation Army and a group affiliated with the Houston Fire Department—are demanding proof that needy children aren't illegal immigrants before giving them free Christmas toys. Parents will need to supply their children's birth certificates or prove that at least either Mom or Dad is here legally. Though the Salvation Army says it's just trying to prevent fraud, immigration activists are incensed. Are the charities' policies smart or fundamentally uncharitable?
Don't punish kids for their parents' crimes: These charities say their point isn't to punish the children, says Matthew Yglesias at Think Progress, but that's exactly what they're doing. Granted, the parents shouldn't have come to the U.S. without legal permission. But people shouldn't steal either, and the Salvation Army isn't telling kids they can't have toys if their parents are burglars.
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