With tensions running high over the crisis at the border, a number of shocking statements have been made by lawmakers.

It's always a bit disconcerting to hear politicians play the blame game, especially when they have the lives of tens of thousands of Central American children in their hands. The situation at the border is serious, but these statements, well, we're just hoping they're not. 

Here are the most shocking statements from politicians on immigration reform. Buckle up, kiddos. It's going to be a bumpy ride. 

"Republicans do need to make progress with Hispanic voters. But immigration is exactly the wrong subject to use to attract Hispanic support." - Rep. Lamar Smith

"Legalizing illegal immigrants means amnesty and we will do everything in our power to stop it." - Rep. John Culberson

"If you are here legally, you ought to be rewarded. If you are here illegally, you ought to be deported," - Rep. Sam Johnson

"Reagan allowed a million illegal immigrants at that time and after he did that two things happened: 1) they voted primarily and increasingly for the Democrats; 2) ten million more came in. The system is if we pass this it's going to increase illegal immigration and it's also going to turn Texas, Florida into Democrat states, we will never keep the White House and the entire agenda of Focus on the Family and Richard Land that is pro-life and all those things that we hold dear are going to be washed away because of the stupidity and the folly of granting citizenship to people who have not a clue about how our system is or the principles. They are saying here this is the rope, please put it around your neck and then jump off the tree and young hang yourself. It's just bizarre that we're so willingly doing that and a little bit frustrating." -- Rep. Steve Stockman

"(Obama's) unsecured border crisis is the last straw that makes the battered wife say, 'no mas.'" - Sarah Palin

“They have to relocate the rats. And, not only that, that’s actually not the worst part, they cannot break up the families of the rats! So, anyway, it is worse than our immigration policy. You can’t break up rat families. Or raccoons, and all the rest, and you can’t even kill ‘em. It’s unbelievable.” - Ken Cucinelli

"Immigration is forever, it is game over when that happens. Amnesty is forever. You gotta vote for the Republicans one more time, and just make it clear that if you pass amnesty that's it, it's over. And then we organize the death squads for the people that wrecked America." - Ann Coulter (Okay, so perhaps not technically a politician, but the pundit's statement is still shocking.)

"While tens of thousands of illegal immigrants storm across the border, the President is jetting off to Texas - but not to see first-hand the mess his policies have created, but to attend high-dollar dinners with the 'swells' and extract as much money as he can from some people who got rich on the very oil he despises." - Mike Huckabee

"You are either inept or you have some ulterior motive of which you are functioning from." - Rick Perry (to President Obama on the immigration crisis)

"I hate to be conspiratorial, but I mean how do you move that many people from Central America across Mexico and then into the United States without there being a fairly coordinated effort?" - Rick Perry