Democratic congressional candidate Jim Mowrer says Republican Congressman Steve King bears some responsibility for the flood of unaccompanies children crossing into the U.S. along the southern border.

“There’s a lot of blame to go around, but in many ways he is responsible for this because he is against immigration reform,” Mowrer says. “He’s spent the past few years going around and claiming that this administration is going to grant amnesty and now he’s surprised that people listened to him and they’re trying to come to the United States.”

King has been a leading opponent in congress of so-called “amnesty” for undocumented immigrants. King has also advocated for construction of a 12-foot-tall wall along the U.S./Mexico border. Mowrer, who is challenging King’s bid for a seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives, says that’s not a decision for congress to make.

“I supported the immigration reform bill that passed the senate that would double border security and I’ll defer to the experts, the border experts, on what way the best way to secure the border is,” Mowrer says.

Mowrer says “it is o.k.” to treat children from Central American countries differently than adults and even children from Mexico who’ve crossed the border. President Obama visited Texas this week to discuss the sitution, but critics say he should have gone to visit the border. Mowrer says he’s not sure what would have been gained by such a move.

“A photo op with the president visiting the border doesn’t actually change anything,” Mowrer says. “What we need to do is actually take action and fix our immigration system.”

Mowrer, who is from Boone, made his comments during a taping of the Iowa Press program that airs tonight on Iowa Public Television.