Add House Minority Leader John Boehner to the list of Republicans who want to give the 14th Amendment, which allows any person born on U.S. soil U.S. citizenship, a second look. Boehner (R-OH) was direct when asked on NBC’s Meet the Press about the growing calls from the GOP to hold hearings on the 14th Amendment, and said the nation’s schools and hospitals are “being overrun” by illegal immigrants.
Boehner, who wants to be speaker of the House, said the “conversation” about what he believes is a “problem” should “continue.”
Host David Gregory asked Boehner if he supports “efforts to have the 14th amendment— amended at this point.”
“I think it’s worth considering,” Boehner said.
For weeks top GOP officials have danced around the question, with several insisting that “no one” is calling for the 14th Amendment to be repealed. RNC spokesman Doug Heye dismissed TPM’s inquiry about Chairman Michael Steele’s position and scolded a reporter for asking what he suggested was not a “serious question.”
“Holding hearings on the potential abuse of birthright citizenship - as documented by the Washington Post is perfectly reasonable,” Heye said.
Watch Boehner:
Additional reporting by Eric Kleefeld
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