Christmas spirit

Ah, it warms the heart to reflect on the magnanimity of American charities during the Christmas season. The Houston Chronicle reports (thanks to Matthew Yglesias) that charities in the Houston area doing toy drives are making parents prove that they or their children are citizens before they get presents.

The Salvation Army and a charity affiliated with the Houston Fire Department are among those that consider immigration status, asking for birth certificates or Social Security cards for the children.

The point isn't to punish the children but to ensure that their parents are either citizens, legal immigrants or working to become legal residents, said Lorugene Young, whose Outreach Program Inc. is one of three groups that distribute toys collected by firefighters.

“It's not our desire to turn anyone down,” she said. “Those kids are not responsible if they are here illegally. It is the parents' responsibility.”

Warms the cockles, it really does.