While discussing recent calls to end birthright citizenship in the U.S. for undocumented immigrants, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) avoided using the term “anchor babies.”
“When I talk about 13 million people in this country illegal [sic], I say 13 million human beings,” Rubio told CNBC’s John Harwood in an interview published online Thursday.
“Anchor babies — people are talking about anchor babies,” Harwood jumped into say.
“Well, these are 13 million — those are human beings,” Rubio said in response. “And ultimately, they’re people. They are not just statistics. They are human beings with stories.”
Rubio reiterated that he does not support repealing the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to all people born in the U.S., but said that people coming to the U.S. to give birth is a “legitimate issue.”
Numerous Republican presidential candidates have used the term “anchor babies” recently, including Donald Trump, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R).
Bush defended his use of the term on Thursday and said he “didn’t use it as my own language.”
H/t Washington Post
and this is the part where either Rubio or Harwood should have went further with this issue. There are clearly legitimate reasons as to why folks from other lands are still coming to this country (regardless of status).
However…such is the price of living in America.
I’m glad to hear he’s standing up to the extremist national wing of his party… on this issue at least. Too bad he lies down, or bends over (which you think is more appropriate) on all their other extremist views of the GOP.
A slight correction to the article, the 14th Amendment did not grant citizenship to all people born in the United States, because it didn’t apply to Native Americans. Native Americans weren’t granted birthright citizenship until 1924 via the Indian Citizen Act of 1924.
Bet JEB wishes he’d said that.