Washington (CNN) - Changing the Constitution's guarantee of U.S. citizenship for anyone born in the United States is "worth considering" if it helps reduce illegal immigration, the Republican leader in the House of Representatives said Sunday.
"It's a serious problem that affects our country, and in certain parts of our country clearly our schools, our hospitals are being overrun by illegal immigrants. A lot of them came here just so their children could become U.S. citizens.
They should do it the legal way," House Minority Leader John Boehner told NBC's "Meet the Press."
The Ohio congressman, who could become speaker of the House if Republicans win back control of the chamber in November, is the latest GOP leader to float the idea of changing the 14th Amendment. Several leading GOP senators, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and 2008 presidential nominee John McCain, have said they would support holding hearings into the matter as part of the heated debate over immigration.
From CNN Politics
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I agree if one of your parents are not a US citizen then just because you are born here shouldn't make you a US citizen.
Please don't vote to make this idiot speaker of the house unless you WANT the rich to get richer and the middle class & poor to get poorer. Amazing that he took time off the golf links to be on MTP today.
I agree. It would hurt nothing to get the pros and cons of modifying the amendment. Everyone look at the issue with an open mind and see if the idea holds merit. I am sure the liberal wingnuts will not do so because they are to used to throwing stones at anyone who does not share their mindless agenda.
For people who claim to love and protect the Constitution, the republicans sure do come up with a lot of changes to it.
Just another racist move by the GOP...Trying to get votes...it will not happen and it shouldn't happen....Get rid of Boehner!!!
I just wonder how me maintains that tan while living in DC and Ohio
Oh please, that's not going to reduce illegal immigration in our country. People come here for numerous other reasons, especially jobs, money. Besides, no one has the right to deny a baby the country he/she was born in, that's just ridiculous. Besides, McCain then would have to be denied US Citizenship and show him as a Panamanian thus he couldn't run for President of the U.S.
What I thought Fox News said it was Obama that was taking away our freedom and changing our constitution??? Boy did they get that wrong!!
“[The 14th amendment] will not, of course, include persons born in the United States who are foreigners, aliens, who belong to the families of ambassadors or foreign ministers accredited to the government of the United States, but will include every other class of person.” - Jacob M. Howard (author of the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment)
The Party of No wants to change the US Constitution??? Amazing. How do they get away with this?
Sad day when someone want's to change the Constitution for Political reasons. Shame on the Republican Party!
Where was all this GOP 'rage' when georgie was extolling the necessity of illegal immigrants with his "they doing jobs we Americans (he was bush) dont want to do".
Kind of like their new found fiscal conservatism while georgie took our national debt from $5 trillion to $11 trillion.
GOP, the party of liars, phonies, and idiots.
I pray that the fool Boehner will never become leader. He is not fit to lead anyone let alone this country. UGH!.
All this time I thought the Constitution was/is sacred to Republicans. I guess they'd even sell their mothers too.
US is the ONLY civilized country that says "come to the USA and have a Baby and then YOU and THE BABY get citizenshio and WELFARE" – Was a necessary deal during 1850's and Slavery – NOT relevant now – REPEAL 14 – Send the ILLEGALS HOME – MAKE JOBS for Real AMERICANS
DIear GOP: I am a hispanic american and you don't like me. I'll see
you in November and on every election from now on.
Why didn't this clown consider that when Bush was President, since Obama became President they want to change all of the rules.
However this shakes out, what ever it is...
If he's for it, I'm against it.
Can't be good
Party of no will be against changing the constitution....unless it meets there agenda
Those nationalist republicans hate immigrants for good. To my latinos: This is what you get when youvote republicans.
Another GOP demagogue speaks about changing the 14th Amendment. They are just doing it to rile up their base because they know good and well that 38 states are NOT going to ratify a change to the 14th Amendment.
That's not leadership...that's pandering to extremists and that is part of what is wrong with the GOP today.
Yeah, that's right Boner (Boehner) is NOT an expert at ANYTHING but saying "No" to everything or "This is a job-killer" or "Repeal it". He knows nothing about anything and this guy thinks he can lead the House.
This 14th amendment repeal push is simply another way for the GOP to spread emotion and hate to get people to vote for them. They really have no other way to get votes but to get voters riled up over misinformation, lies made up issues like this. There are more important issues like the ECONOMY they need our continuous attention. This really shows they have nothing to offer to fix any of this country's REAL problems so they latch onto little ones and make big deals about them .
So please people stop listening to the GOP. They have done nothing but manipulate you into voting in their favor. They don't do anything for the everyday person. And honestly if you base your vote on this fake emotional rhetoric all you're doing is acting as a pawn for their agenda.
Another perspective: In the second half of the 1800's, many immigrants from England, Scotland, and Ireland crossed into the U.S. through Canada via the New England states. They were technically breaking the law that was attempting to keep "paupers" out of the United States. Chances are my ancestors, who later helped settle the plains of Nebraska, were among them. As I have served a full 26 years as a military officer of the United States, should I now ask for my citizenship to be renounced because of the "illegals" among my forebears? Lots of us have "illegals" in our background, it is just a fact. Not everyone came through Ellis Island.
next it will be a requirement that ur parents are republican in order to be a citizen?
what a bonehead!
What a jerk.... how would it reduce illegal immigration?