Kentucky Republican Senate candidate Rand Paul says he would support amending the United States Constitution to end the country's policy of guaranteeing citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants.
"Many argue that these children that are born to illegal aliens are really still under the jurisdiction of the Mexican government," Paul said in an interview earlier this week with Right Wing News. "I think we need to fight that out in the courts. If we lose, then I think we should amend the Constitution because I don't think the 14th amendment was meant to apply to illegal aliens. It was meant to apply to the children of slaves."
Paul argued his position by asserting the immigration issue should be dealt with on the state level despite the 14th amendment of the Constitution stating that all persons born in the country "are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside."
Last month, the Senate hopeful made similar comments related to his support for denying citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants.
"We shouldn't provide an easy route to citizenship," Paul said in an interview with a Russian television station. "We're the only country that I know that allows people to come in illegally, have a baby, and then that baby becomes a citizen. And I think that should stop."
Paul suggests what steps he thinks lawmakers should take to address illegal immigration on his campaign website:
I support local solutions to illegal immigration as protected by the 10th amendment. I support making English the official language of all documents and contracts.
Millions crossing our border without our knowledge constitutes a clear threat to our nation's security. I will work to secure our borders immediately. My plans include an underground electric fence, with helicopter stations to respond quickly to breaches of the border.