Mike Lee catches NBC News omitting words from Constitution — then he reveals why NBC anchor didn't want you to hear them

Sen. Mike Lee (R) called out NBC News' "Meet the Press" and anchor Kristen Welker on Sunday for omitting six important words from the 14th Amendment.

Speaking with President-elect Donald Trump about his plan to end birthright citizenship — which grants United States citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil — Welker tried to suggest the plan is unconstitutional by citing the first sentence of Section 1 of the 14th Amendment.

'[Meet the Press] seems to try to render a debatable matter beyond debate by selectively omitting key words from the Constitution.'

After Trump confirmed that ending birthright citizenship is "absolutely" his plan, Welker said, "The 14th Amendment, though, says that, quote, 'All persons born in the United States are citizens.'"

But there is a significant problem with Welker's quote, according to Lee.

In fact, Welker omitted six words from the first sentence of Section 1 of the 14th Amendment — and those "words matter," Lee explained.

Here is what the beginning of Section 1 of the 14th Amendment actually says:

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.

This means that Welker omitted the phrase, "and subject to the jurisdiction thereof," to create the illusion that Trump would be acting unconstitutionally if he sought to outlaw birthright citizenship.

But according to Lee, that critical phrase empowers Congress to define what it means, and, therefore, to regulate birthright citizenship.

"Congress has the power to define what it means to be born in the United States 'and subject to the jurisdiction thereof,'" Lee explained. "While current law contains no such restriction, Congress could pass a law defining what it means to be born in the United States 'and subject to the jurisdiction thereof,' excluding prospectively from birthright citizenship individuals born in the U.S. to illegal aliens."

Importantly, Lee pointed out that Congress has attempted to regulate birthright citizenship in the past.

In 1993, for example, then-Sen. Harry Reid (D) proposed legislation that would have limited birthright citizenship to children whose mothers are either U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents. Ultimately, the bill did not become law. But, Lee said, it demonstrates that Congress is well aware of its ability to regulate birthright citizenship.

In the end, Lee condemned NBC and Welker for "one-sided" coverage, explaining why he believes Welker omitted that key provision from the 14th Amendment.

"[Meet the Press] seems to try to render a debatable matter beyond debate by selectively omitting key words from the Constitution, making it appear incorrectly that the Fourteenth Amendment proscribes any and all restrictions on birthright citizenship," Lee said.

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