DAVENPORT, Iowa -- With a week to go before the midterm elections, President Donald Trump has been making his closing arguments to voters, touching on the familiar theme of immigration.
In an interview with Axios on HBO, the president set off controversy by suggesting that he could end the practice of birthright citizenship with an executive order.
"When did this become an issue? When did this become a problem?" said Maria Bribriesco, Deputy State Director of LULAC. "Anybody who`s read the constitution will tell you, no, the president cannot unilaterally change the constitution," she said.
Critics of President Trump have pointed out that the the 14th amendment gives the right of citizenship to people born in the United States. The president does not have the authority to terminate a constitutional amendment.
However, some Trump supporters believe the amendment has been misinterpreted, according to Scott County Republican Chair Linda Greenlee.
"I think that he's probably bringing it to our attention so that we will get something done," she said. "And that's one thing that Donald Trump does. He gets things done."
The controversial interview comes as President Trump has directed his administration to send thousands of U.S. troops to the southern border and amid his repeated warnings about a caravan of migrants heading to the United States.
In the media and on the campaign trail, the president has been talking about immigration. As he prepares to undertake a flurry of campaign activities ahead of next week's election, it's a subject he is likely to continue bringing to voters.
