Washington (CNN) A Texas congressman suggested in a Thursday hearing that human smugglers target immigrant children based on attractiveness.

Republican Rep. John Carter made the comment at a hearing about US immigration and border agencies in an exchange with fellow Texas Republican Rep. John Culberson and officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.

"Believe me, a lot of the attractive children are not making it to the border," Carter said as an aside. There was a brief pause before the conversation moved on to another line of questioning.

Culberson had been asking a series of questions about asylum laws and other laws designed to protect families and children when they make it to the US and await decisions about whether they can stay.

Culberson and Carter agreed changes to the law were necessary to cut off what Culberson called a "magnet" for Central Americans, who risk their lives to try to reach the US border.

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