Cruz: Blame Obama for immigration surge

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said the Obama administration is to blame for the recent influx of child immigrants crossing the U.S. border illegally.

Speaking at a Republican fundraiser in Miami on Friday, the potential presidential contender slammed Obama’s decision in 2012 to defer the deportations of some illegal young immigrants as a “lawless act” that created an incentive for more to enter the U.S.

{mosads}As a solution, Cruz said Congress should pass legislation to tighten border security and streamline the immigration system.

The Obama administration announced Friday it would step up efforts to repatriate a surge of illegal immigrant children as it scrambled to keep up with a crisis.

More than 47,000 children primarily from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador have been caught trying to cross the U.S.-Mexican border since the start of the budget year.