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
