Thread: Cornyn remains vague on birthright citizenship

Cornyn remains vague on birthright citizenship
3:15 PM Thu, Sep 30, 2010
Todd J. Gillman/Reporter


Sen. John Cornyn remained studiedly ambiguous today on the issue of birthright citizenship.

It's a touchy question. GOP leaders are eager to woo Hispanic voters -- or at least, avoid offending them -- but are also loathe to offend the tea partiers and others who view it as outrageous that the children of illegal immigrants get automatic U.S. citizenship if born on U.S. soil.

Some Republicans have pushed to alter the 14th Amendment's guarantee of birthright citizenship. In previous interviews, Cornyn has hedged, indicating that he is open to the idea, provided there are congressional hearings first. (We reported over the summer that he supported the idea, based on his statement that he supported hearings. Later, he and aides insisted that he doesn't embrace attempting to change the Constitution; rather, he was saying only that Congress should learn more, by holding hearings, before it attempts any changes.)

Asked about it today at a National Press Club luncheon, he avoided a direct answer as to whether he supports a change to birthright citizenship.

"It should be a moot point," he said, adding that if the federal government did a better job securing the borders, "there'd be no need to amend the Constitution."

His Democratic counterpart, Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, gave a direct answer, saying flatly that he opposes any effort to change birthright citizenship. "I do not believe in it," he said.

Cornyn also criticized President Barack Obama for failing to make immigration reform a priority, and tweaked Menendez for filing legislation on that topic only hours before Thursday's luncheon, as Congress headed out of town on a seven-week recess.

"This kind of serious subject matter bears much more consideration," Cornyn said.


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Cornyn the "comprehensionist" he sucks...