In quotes picked up by the Houston Chronicle, the top Republican urged: "If you pick up 50 or 100 of them, you can call the National Guard."

As for housing, DeLay said: "Put them in tents."

He noted that until now, even the federal government has not rounded up illegal immigrants in U.S. cities, because federal agents had no place to detain them. The situation is changing, however, under the new leadership at the Department of Homeland Security, he said.

DeLay emphasized that he's a strong supporter of legal immigration. But he opposes educating illegal immigrants using U.S. tax dollars or having their U.S.-born children automatically become American citizens.

According to the Chronicle, he blasted Houston city officials for their lax attitude toward illegal immigration, saying, "It greatly concerns me that the police chief in Houston, Texas, has created a sanctuary in Houston by announcing that he is not going to enforce our laws."

DeLay said he supported legislation introduced by Rep. Tom Tancredo that would withhold federal funding from cities like Houston that ignore federal immigration regulations.

Other big-city governments, including New York City, that do not enforce immigration laws would presumably also be at risk to have federal subsidies yanked under the provision supported by DeLay.

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