Cox apologizes for calling lawmakers "imbeciles" over immigration reform

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) issued an apology on Friday for using a "derogatory" term to characterize members of Congress, after accusing them of failing to pass immigration reform over the last four decades.

Driving the news: Cox's mea culpa comes one day after he called lawmakers "imbeciles," adding, "they should all get fired."

• His remarks were in response to a question from a Telemundo reporter during a monthly news conference about Florida's latest anti-immigration policies.

What he's saying: "As someone who tries to hold myself to a higher standard of dignity and civility, I should be better," Cox said on Twitter.

• Cox, however, stood by the rest of his original statement, where he said: "All they want to do is get reelected by pointing fingers at each other and they divide us. They do it on purpose and it’s embarrassing."

Between the lines: Cox, a longtime proponent of increasing border security and welcoming refugees to the state, has stated there's bipartisan consensus on the need to repair the country's immigration system.

Context: The rebuke comes on the heels of Cox signing a letter, along with 23 other GOP governors this week, backing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's strict border security efforts.

• The letter followed the expiration of Title 42 last week, a Trump-era policy that allowed the U.S. to turn away immigrants amid the COVID-19 pandemic.