Anderson Cooper got heated tonight with CNN commentator and former RNC chief of staff Mike Shields over President Donald Trump‘s call to end birthright citizenship through executive order.

Jeffrey Toobin said Trump actually just can’t change it with an executive order, and this whole thing is a “political stunt” in the first place.

Cooper turned to Shields and asked, “As a conservative Republican, are you okay with the President saying that he can unilaterally change this, the 14th Amendment of the Constitution? And do you agree with Jeff that this is basically just about politics and manipulation before the midterms?”

Shields said this is a “legitimate conversation to have” and argued, “There are 700,000 immigrants in line right now to become lawful immigrants to the United States from Africa, Latin America, Asia, all over the world. And yet, there are loopholes that allow people to get into the country illegally and have a child and become a citizen.”

Toobin shot back that this is “demagoguery,” not policy, while Rick Wilson agreed that it’s red meat for Trump to play to his base.

And Wilson said if Barack Obama had attempted something similar, Republicans would have flipped out.

Shields asked the others if they think birthright citizenship “is being abused.”

Cooper jumped in and said, “The President announcing that he can do this by executive order, you know is just not true. Right?”

Shields responded, “I think that this is a defining issue between the two parties going into the election is immigration.”

Cooper again said, “But you know it’s just not true. I know you’re trying to avoid the answer.”

As they went back and forth and Wilson mixed it up with Shields, Cooper told Shields, “You know this is ridiculous. I mean, this is ridiculous for the President to have this discussion.”

Watch above, via CNN.

[image via screengrab]

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