A top Republican lawmaker has said he would support granting children of undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, the No. 2 Republican in the House of Representatives, suggested that Congress would make fast progress on immigration reform if lawmakers agree to give citizenship to undocumented children.

"The best place to begin, I think, is with the children. Let's go ahead and get that under our belt, put a win on the board," Cantor said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

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He mentioned his own immigrant grandparents who emigrated to flee the anti-Semitic pogroms in Russia, reports the Huffington Post.

"We want to make sure we're compassionate and sensitive to their plight - these kids know no other place as home. On the other hand, we are a country of laws," Virginia Republican said.

Cantor declined to say whether or not he would support a pathway to citizenship for adults as well.


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