Top House Republicans railed against fellow Rep. Steve King on Wednesday, saying his comments about immigrant children working as drug mules is “inexcusable” and “wrong.”
Mr. King, an opponent of immigration reform, made the controversial comments in a Newsmax interview last week, ahead of a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on the legal status of immigrant children brought illegally into the U.S., The Hill reported.
“For every one who’s a valedictorian, there’s another 100 out there that weigh 130 pounds, and they’ve got calves the size of cantaloupes because they’re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert,” King said. “These people would be legalized with the same act.”
In a statement Tuesday night, Speaker John Boehner said: “What he said is wrong. There can be honest disagreements about policy without using hateful language. Everyone needs to remember that.”
“I strongly disagree with his characterization of the children of immigrants and find the comments inexcusable,” Majority Leader Eric Cantor said in a separate statement, The Hill reported.
Mr. King still stands by his comments.
SEE ALSO: Obama takes case for immigration reform to Spanish language TV
“You should go ask [Boehner and Cantor] if they actually watched the tape. Ask them if they actually read the text,” he told The Hill. “That would illuminate a lot. There’s a lot of people around here that have opinions that aren’t founded in fact.”
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.