Posted on 12/21/2007 8:18:22 AM PST by Ol' Sparky
(CNSNews.com) - Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican presidential candidate, would allow illegal aliens to apply for permanent residency but would also require them to go back home after a "set period" of time, he said on NBC's "Meet the Press" last Sunday.
After four days of questioning from Cybercast News Service, however, the Romney campaign was unable to specify how long that "set period" would be.
On "Meet the Press" Romney said: "Well, whether they go home - they should go home eventually. There's a set period - in my view they should have a set period during which period they, they sign up for application for permanent residency or for citizenship. But there is a set period whereupon they should return home."
In light of these comments, border security advocates have questioned whether there is a difference between the application for permanent residency Romney suggests and the "pathway-to-citizenship," which he has staunchly opposed.
"It sounds like he wasn't really sure," John Vinson, president of Americans for Immigration Control (AIC), told Cybercast News Service. "It's just as clear as mud what he believes about illegal immigration."
Among questions submitted to Romney's campaign by Cybercast News Service on Monday morning was one that asked how long the "set period" would be that Romney envisions in which illegal aliens would be allowed to stay in the country.
The Romney campaign responded to other questions about his immigration position submitted by Cybercast News Service but not that one. Asked again by Cybercast News Service to answer the question on Thursday, the Romney campaign did not respond.
During the "Meet the Press" interview on Sunday, Romney did not waver from his comments in a November 2005 interview with The Boston Globe, in which he called the McCain-Kennedy immigration bill supported by President Bush a "reasonable proposal" that was "quite different" from amnesty - a charge leveled by critics of the bill.
In 2007, Romney strongly criticized a similar bill for "comprehensive immigration reform" that died in the Senate. Romney also told the Globe in 2005 that he had not formulated his own proposal.
During the "Meet the Press" interview, Romney said, "Those people who had come here illegally - should be able to stay, sign up for permanent residency or citizenship - but they should not be given a special pathway, a special guarantee that all of them get to stay here for the rest of their lives merely by virtue of having come here illegally."
Romney campaign spokesman Matt Rhoades told Cybercast News Service in a written response Tuesday afternoon that, "Gov. Romney has consistently opposed amnesty or any special path to citizenship or permanent residence for those here illegally."
"To become eligible for permanent residence, he believes they should get at the end of the line with the millions of people who have applied to legally come to the U.S.," Rhoades continued.
Rhoades' answers, however, did not specify whether Romney envisioned the illegal aliens 'getting in line" inside the United States or outside the United States. Rhoades further said Romney never changed his position on the Senate proposals for a pathway to citizenship.
"Gov. Mitt Romney has not changed his position and believes the U.S. Senate agreement on immigration reform was 'the wrong approach' and a 'form of amnesty,'" Rhoades added.
Vinson, whose group advocates stricter immigration laws and tougher enforcement of the borders, sees little difference in Romney's view of providing permanent residency and creating a pathway to citizenship.
"He said the amnesty bill is reasonable, but he didn't agree, or I can't tell what the man is saying," Vinson said. "People are going to question what he thinks, if indeed he knows what he thinks. It's a cut-and-dry issue. You either let them stay or encourage them to go back home."
Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), a pro-border enforcement group, did not criticize Romney or any other presidential candidate, but Mehlman said he was against any permanent residency program.
"If you're here illegally, there should be no option for getting legal authorization," Mehlman said in an interview.
Mehlman also said he was disturbed at the idea of calling the 2005 bill a "reasonable" plan and that it is not "amnesty."
"Our view has always been that McCain-Kennedy and the so-called comprehensive immigration bill were amnesty," Mehlman said.
Rhoades defended Romney on this point as well.
"Gov. Romney opposed each version of the McCain-Kennedy legislation as the wrong approach and a form of amnesty," he said. "He believes amnesty did not work 20 years ago and it will not work today."
Just before leaving the governor's office in December 2006 to campaign full-time, Romney signed a memorandum of agreement with federal officials to allow Massachusetts State Troopers to enforce immigration laws. He also opposed granting driver's license and in-state tuition to illegal aliens.
Still, Romney's "Meet the Press" interview sparked criticism from conservative commentator Michelle Malkin and The American Spectator, a conservative magazine.
They accused the Republican presidential candidate of giving "Clintonian" answers to the questions about immigration and gun control.
Campaign officials also admitted Monday that Romney inaccurately said during the NBC interview that the National Rifle Association (NRA) endorsed his campaign for governor in 2002 when, in fact, his Democratic opponent had a higher score with the Second Amendment group.
Throughout his campaign Romney has been dogged for being a "flip-flopper," because as a candidate in Massachusetts he was pro-abortion, pro-gun control, and pro-homosexual rights but moved to the right on all three issues after entering the GOP presidential primary.
Other Republican candidates have stumbled on the immigration issue in the eyes of conservative voters. Arizona Sen. John McCain strongly supports a pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has faced scrutiny for supporting New York City's "sanctuary city" policy that prohibits police officers from enforcing federal immigration laws. More recently, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has been criticized for supporting in-state tuition for children of illegal aliens in his home state.
Romney's Web site calls for "implementing an enforceable Employee Verification System. Issue biometrically-enabled and tamperproof card to non-citizens and create a national database for non-citizens so employers can easily verify their legal status."
However, a similar system already exists. (See Related Story)
The Romney Web site goes on to say his policy would "not give amnesty or any special pathway to those who have come to this country illegally." It also calls for following through on the congressionally authorized fence along the Mexican border, withholding federal funds from "sanctuary cities," cracking down on employers of illegal aliens, and encouraging legal immigration.
Well, he’s toast, then. On to Gomer Huckleberry.
Uh-oh, another anti-mormon bigot post.
Can you just not leave Myth Romney alone?
F Mitt. I’ll go for Huckleberry before I go for any “give illegals citizenship” candidate.
And Tancredo threw his support behind this guy. Heavens...
So, I wonder what cabinet post he promised Tancredo then for this support? This doesn’t jive at all with Tommy’s views.
ANTI-MORMON BIGOTRY!!!!!!
/do I really need it?
Huckleberry - the guy who said we must welcome illegal aliens with open arms to atone for our past sins with African immigrants?
I’m beginning to think that Tancredo might just have been off his head yesterday. The benefit of the doubt is becoming asymptotic.
That old touchback theory won’t fly Mitt, no matter how you try to spin it.
Fred needs to distinguish himself on this issue in the days ahead to move the social conservatives off the Huckster bandwagon. By doing so, he will also pick up some economic conservatives from Rudy, Mitt and McCain.
Tanc has hung his hat on an empty suit.
Yeah, what is up with that? I mean, seriously, Romney? I figured Thompson maybe, Hunter definitely, but Romney? The guy who hires illegals for lawn care, lies about knowing it, and continues to employ them even after its proven to him beyond a doubt? The guy who is cool with "sanctuary cities"? The guy who's on the record in times past as favouring amnesty, er, "a path to citizenship"?
Something smells here.
This is what Huckabee is saying on his website; compare it to what Romney said in the article:
Securing our borders must be our top priority and has reached the level of a national emergency.
I support the $3 billion the Senate has voted for border security. This money will train and deploy 23,000 more agents, add four drone planes, build 700 miles of fence and 300 miles of vehicle barriers, and put up 105 radar and camera towers. This money will turn “catch and release” into “catch and detain” of those entering illegally, and crack down on those who overstay their visas.
In this age of terror, immigration is not only an economic issue, but also a national security issue. Those caught trying to enter illegally must be detained, processed, and deported. As Governor, I ordered my state troopers to work with the Department of Homeland Security to arrest illegals and enforce federal immigration law.
I oppose and will never allow amnesty. I opposed the amnesty President Bush and Senator McCain tried to ram through Congress this summer, and opposed the misnamed DREAM Act, which would have put us on the slippery slope to amnesty for all.
I oppose and will not tolerate sanctuaries for illegals. The federal government must crack down on rogue cities that willfully undermine our economy and national security.
I oppose giving driver’s licenses to illegals and supports legislation to prevent states from doing so. In 2005, I signed legislation that prevents illegals in Arkansas from getting driver’s licenses.
I will stop punishing cities which try to enforce our laws and protect the economic well-being, physical safety, and quality of life of their citizens.
I oppose and will not tolerate employers who hire illegals. They must be punished with fines and penalties so large that they will see it is not worth the risk.
I oppose the economic integration of North America that would create open borders among the United States, Canada, and Mexico. I will never yield one iota or one inch of our sovereignty.
I will take our country back for those who belong here. No open borders, no amnesty, no sanctuary, no false Social Security numbers, no driver’s licenses for illegals.
Mitt is the establishment choice and you have just proven this by your list of endorsements. With his endorsement list, money and organization, he should have secured victory in all the early states by now. He hasn’t because we uneducated, uninformed voters think he is disingenuous at best.
Well, Thompson is supporting “aspirations of citizensip for illegals”.
LOL
Look on the bright side - at least the inventor of the fifty dollar abortion isn't getting the pro-life endorsements. The universe hasn't completely tipped its kedgeree.
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