Republican House Speaker John Boehner (BAY’nuhr) says he disagrees with GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump’s inflammatory comments on immigration.

Trump’s fellow candidates have already criticized the business mogul for saying Mexican immigrants are criminals and rapists.

Boehner tells reporters Thursday that he, too, disagrees with Trump. He says most in his party’s presidential field have made their positions clear.

Boehner also says that the issue of illegal immigration and what to do about it has become the biggest political football he’s ever seen. He says Congress won’t solve the issue by sticking its head in the sand.

The GOP-led House has repeatedly failed to act on immigration legislation and there’s little evidence that will change. But Boehner says he would hope the House would take action this year.

(AP)