Cruz Accuses Megyn Kelly of Asking ‘Mainstream Media Liberal’ Question

Texas Senator and Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz accused Fox News Channel anchor Megyn Kelly of asking “the question every mainstream media liberal journalist wants to ask” and “the question Barack Obama wants to focus on” on Tuesday’s “Kelly File” on the Fox News Channel.

Cruz was asked about his support for ending birthright citizenship and whether this means he favors amending the Constitution, he answered, “Well, as a policy matter, Megyn, it doesn’t make any sense anymore, that people who are here illegally, that their children would have automatic citizenship. That what that does is it serves as an incentive encouraging people to break the law and come here illegally. And we ought to change that policy. Now, as you noted there is a legal dispute about the best means to do it. And there are serious scholars who argue that Congress could do it through statute defining what it means to be subject to the jurisdiction, the language of the 14th Amendment. There are other serious constitutional scholars who argue the only way to change it is through a constitutional amendment. My view is we should pursue either or both, whichever is effective. What matters, is that we should change the policy so we’re not rewarding, and incentivizing, and encouraging more illegal immigration.”

When asked about his past argument that the 14th Amendment guarantees birthright citizenship, Cruz said, “that’s why I say we should pursue either or both. We should pursue either a constitutional amendment which overcomes any language in the Constitution, or a statute, if the other scholars are right that it’s within Congress’ authority. What matters is the underlying policy.”

Cruz was then asked, “if you have a husband and a wife who are illegal immigrants, and they have two children who are here, who are American citizens, would you deport all of them? Would you deport the American citizen children?”

He responded, “So, Megyn, what I’ve said is that we should approach immigration in a staged manner. We should start with focusing on areas of bipartisan agreement. Where is there bipartisan agreement? On two major areas. Number one, that we should do everything possible to secure the border and stop illegal immigration. And number two, to improve and streamline legal immigration.”

Kelly then cut in, “that doesn’t sound like an answer. Mr. Trump answered that question explicitly last night on ‘The O’Reilly Factor.’ Will you do so now?” Cruz stated, “Well, Megyn, what I’m doing is answering what I think Congress should do. What Congress should do, and I introduced legislation to do exactly this, triple the Border Patrol. Increase fourfold the fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft to monitor the border, put in place a strong biometic exit/entry system, because 40% of illegal immigration doesn’t come across the border, it’s visa overstays. Put in place a strong E-Verify system. And then this final piece is critical, actually have the federal government enforce the law.”

Kelly again cut in, “Senator, I understand all that, and you’ve outlined your plan, but you’re — unlike you, you’re dodging my question. You don’t want to answer that question. He says he would.” Cruz protested, “I’m not playing that game.”

After Kelly again asked whether the American citizen children of illegal immigrants would be deported under his policy, Cruz answered, “Megyn, I get that that’s the question you want to ask, that’s also the question every mainstream media liberal journalist wants to ask. They focus exclusively –.” Kelly then asked if such a question was “unfair.” Cruz maintained it’s “a distraction from how we actually solve the problem. You know, it’s also the question Barack Obama wants to focus on.”

Kelly asked why it was “so hard” for Cruz to give a yes or no answer. Cruz stated, “Because, Megyn, we need to solve the problem. And the way you solve the problem, is you focus where there’s bipartisan agreement first. Once we’ve secured the border, once we’ve actually proven we can do this, once we’ve stop the Obama administration’s policy of releasing 104,000 violent criminal illegal aliens in one year, once we’ve solved that problem, then we can have a debate, then we can have a conversation.”

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