Karen

I keep hearing US children of immigrant parents called anchor babies, why? Since the child can do nothing to help the parent's immigrant status until they are able to file at age 21, and then the parents must wait for a visa to be available, often another 20 years how is this benefiting the parent?What is the anchor part, if illegal the parents and any other family are still deported. I understand how it may help the child as an adult, just not why people say anchor baby, since they don't anchor anything.

I don't want a bunch of stupid stuff about welfare and your taxes,or how you hate all illegals, or Mexicans, disagree with the 14th amendment, etc. I want to understand the term "anchor" as used here, nothing more.