Carson Says Wants Drones To Blast Caves, Not People At U.S.-Mexico Border

@reuters
Carson Says Wants Drones To Blast Caves, Not People At U.S.-Mexico Border

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson on Sunday called for using drones to beef up surveillance along the U.S.-Mexico border and destroy caves used by those who smuggle people and drugs, but said he did not support strikes aimed at people.

Carson, speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, dismissed reports that he had suggested using drone strikes to target people trying to cross into the United States as a “total lie” and blamed media reports as irresponsible.

“Read my lips. I said there are caves that they utilize. Those caves can be eliminated. I’m not talking about killing people,” the retired neurosurgeon told CNN. “In no way, did I suggest that drones be used to kill people.”

Carson suggested greater use of drones to patrol border areas after a tour of the region last week. He said local authorities told him they were completely outgunned and receiving little assistance from federal authorities.

Immigration has become a contentious issue for Republicans seeking the presidency in the November 2016 election. Donald Trump, the party’s front-runner, and other contenders have called for amending the Constitution to end of the right of automatic citizenship for all people born in the United States.

Carson reiterated his support for deporting families who come to the United States expressly to have children and ensure them U.S. citizenship. Critics call those children “anchor babies,” but others view it as offensive.

Carson said he did not view the term as racist and dismissed such objections as “silly political correctness.”

A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Friday showed Trump with 32 percent of the support of Republicans, followed by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush with 16 percent, and Carson with 8 percent.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Dominic Evans)

Photo: Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson speaks at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa August 16, 2015. REUTERS/Joshua Lott

Start your day with National Memo Newsletter

Know first.

The opinions that matter. Delivered to your inbox every morning

Joe Biden
President Joe Biden

Last week,The Economist's presidential polling average set in motion a reevaluation of the general election when President Joe Biden pulled ahead of Donald Trump for the first time since September 2023.

Keep reading...Show less
Alex Jones

Alex Jones

At a press conference on Tuesday, March 26, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told reporters that there was no sign of terrorism or foul play in the collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge — which had been struck by a freighter. According to Moore and the Biden White House, there was no indication that it was anything other than a tragic accident.

Keep reading...Show less
{{ post.roar_specific_data.api_data.analytics }}