Petition to deport CNN host reaches goal

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- A petition calling for the deportation of CNN personality Piers Morgan to be deported for criticizing U.S. gun laws has collected more than 46,000 signatures.

The White House petition needed to reach 25,000 signatures by Jan. 20 to receive a response from the White House, Politico reported.

The petition against Morgan, a British citizen, came after his criticism of gun advocates in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., elementary school shooting, in which 20 students and 6 educators were slain.

"British citizen and CNN television host Piers Morgan is engaged in a hostile attack against the U.S. Constitution by targeting the Second Amendment," the authors of the petition wrote. "We demand that Mr. Morgan be deported immediately for his effort to undermine the Bill of Rights and for exploiting his position as a national network television host to stage attacks against the rights of American citizens."

As of Monday afternoon, the petition had 46,207 signatures.

Morgan responded to the petition Monday by tweeting: "I don't care about petition to deport me. I do care about poor NY firefighters murdered/injured with an assault weapon today. #GunControlNow," referring to the shooting that took place Monday in Webster, N.Y., that left two people dead and three injured.

Another petition on the White House website targets "Meet the Press" host David Gregory for possession of a 30-round magazine, which he held up during his interview of National Rifle Association Chief Executive Officer Wayne LaPierre. That petition had more than 3,000 signatures by early afternoon.