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The Romney Record: Immigration
Romney for President 2008 ^ | 5/18/07

Posted on 05/19/2007 4:38:46 PM PDT by Reaganesque

FACT: As Governor Of Massachusetts, Governor Romney Took Action To Enforce Immigration Laws.

ENFORCEMENT: In December 2006, Governor Romney Signed A Memorandum Of Agreement With The Federal Government To Allow State Troopers To Enforce Federal Immigration Laws. "Governor Mitt Romney and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary Julie L. Myers today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and ICE, which will give specially trained Massachusetts State Troopers the authority to administer and enforce federal immigration laws in the Commonwealth. " (Office Of The Governor, "Governor Romney, ICE Sign Immigration Enforcement Pact," Press Release, 12/13/06)

IN-STATE TUITION: Governor Romney Vetoed In-State Tuition For Illegal Immigrants. "Romney also vetoed a number of outside sections of the budget, including:...A plan that would have permitted illegal aliens to pay the same in-state tuition rate at our public colleges and universities as Massachusetts citizens." (Office Of The Governor, "Romney Signs $22.402B Fiscal Year 2005 'No New Tax' Budget," Press Release, 6/25/04)

ENGLISH IMMERSION: Governor Romney Fought Efforts To Weaken Massachusetts' English Immersion Law. "But yesterday, Romney press secretary Shawn Feddeman said the governor will fight all attempts to slow the implementation of English immersion, known on the ballot as Question 2. ... 'He will veto anything that weakens or delays English immersion,' Feddeman said." (Anand Vaishnav, "Romney Firm On English Timetable," The Boston Globe, 1/24/03)

- In June 2002, Mitt Romney Said "The Approach Of English Immersion Is One That I Support. ... I Would Make English Immersion The Educational Norm For All Non-Native English Speakers." (John McElhenny, "Mitt Romney Endorses 'English Immersion' Education Plan," The Associated Press, 6/4/02)

DRIVER'S LICENCES: Governor Romney Opposed Efforts To Give Driver's Licenses To Illegal Immigrants. "'Those who are here illegally should not receive tacit support from our government that gives an indication of legitimacy,' the governor said, echoing arguments that opponents have voiced in the Commonwealth and in other states considering similar license measures. 'If they are here illegally, they should not get driver's licenses,' he said." (Scott S. Greenberger, "Romney Stand Dims Chances Of License For Undocumented," The Boston Globe, 10/28/03)

FACT: Governor Romney Would Take Action To Secure The Borders Through Physical And Virtual Fences.

Governor Romney: "In my view, there are several principles that need to be part of our immigration plan. First, to secure the border..." (Governor Mitt Romney, Interview On The Northern Alliance Radio Network, 1/27/07)

Governor Romney: "You've got to have a wall or fence or electronic surveillance. You have got to make sure we secure our border, that's first." (Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor," 9/19/06)

FACT: Governor Romney Supports Strong Reforms To Stop Illegal Immigration And Encourage Legal Immigration.

Governor Romney: "The current system puts up a concrete wall to the best and brightest, yet those without skill or education are able to walk across the border. We must reform the current immigration laws so we can secure our borders, implement a mandatory biometrically-enabled and tamper-proof documentation and employment-verification system, and increase legal immigration into America." (David Yepsen, Op-Ed, "So Far, Romney's Been Most Impressive Republican," Des Moines Register, 7/11/06)

FACT: Governor Romney Opposes The McCain-Kennedy Bill And Any Form Of Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants.

Governor Romney: "McCain-Kennedy Isn't The Answer." "Another aspect of American sovereignty is the security of our borders. The current system is a virtual concrete wall against those who have skill and education, but it's a wide-open walk across the border for those that have neither. McCain-Kennedy isn't the answer. As governor, I took a very different approach. I authorized our state police to enforce federal immigration laws." (Governor Mitt Romney, Remarks At The Conservative Political Action Conference, Washington, D.C., 3/2/07)

FACT: Governor Romney Supports A Strong Employer-Verification System That Includes A Tamper Proof Worker Verification Card.

Governor Romney: "First, to secure the border, number two, have an employment verification system. This would be a card - a biometric card - that people who are not citizens would have and before an employer hires a non citizen they would have to look at the card, type in a number on a computer, and get verification from the federal government that this person is eligible for work in the U.S. If they hired someone not so eligible that company would be fined just like not paying taxes." (Governor Mitt Romney, Interview On The Northern Alliance Radio Network, 1/27/07)

FACT: Governor Romney Supports Empowering Local And State Authorities To Enforce Federal Immigration Laws.

Governor Romney Believes More State And Local Police Agencies Should Work With The Federal Government To Enforce Immigration Laws. "Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said Tuesday that more state and local police agencies ought to consider making deals with the federal government to have their officers trained in enforcing elements of federal immigration law. ... 'I think it's a good idea for us to communicate that we intend to enforce our laws,' Romney said." (Jacques Billeaud, "Romney: More State, Local Police Should Get Immigration Training," The Associated Press, 3/13/07)


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: amnesty; illegals; immersion; immigration; romney
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Most of this info has been posted previously but in bits and pieces in separate threads. The campaign put out this press release yesterday so, here is the entirety of his record on immigration.
1 posted on 05/19/2007 4:38:48 PM PDT by Reaganesque
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To: AmericanMade1776; bcbuster; bethtopaz; Bluestateredman; bruinbirdman; Capt. Cox; cardinal4; ...
Mitt Ping!

• Send FReep Mail to Unmarked Package to get [ ON ] or [ OFF ] the Mitt Romney Ping List

2 posted on 05/19/2007 4:39:50 PM PDT by Reaganesque (Romney 2008)
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To: Reaganesque
CALL! CALL! CALL! CALL! AND KEEP CALLING TILL THE LINES FRY!

WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! TILL YOU RUN OUT OF INK IN YOUR PEN!

Bombard the Democrats as well, especially the ones that ran on an anti immigration plank and the ones in marginal districts who could be vulnerable. keep pounding on them.

STOP AMNESTY NOW!! WE CAN DO IT!!

The best way to stop Shamnesty

3 posted on 05/19/2007 4:45:39 PM PDT by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
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To: Reaganesque
Hopefully the senate will get real before th election. I will probably vote for Mitt in the primaries BUT I will not vote in the final election of these clowns pass the Senate Immigration bill. If the bill passes, all this rhetoric is irrelevant and too late. The GOP will have betrayed us and I SHALL return the favor.
4 posted on 05/19/2007 4:48:38 PM PDT by Sam Ketcham (Amnesty means vote dilution, & increased taxes to bring us down to the world poverty level.)
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To: Reaganesque

Like a breath of fresh air.....

http://mitt-tv.mittromney.com/?showid=47261


5 posted on 05/19/2007 5:23:26 PM PDT by TopoGigio
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To: Reaganesque
Funny, Mitt was singing a different tune only 18 months ago:

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/03/16/romneys_words_grow_hard_on_immigration/

McCain-Kennedy isn't the answer," Romney said in a well-received speech to conservatives in Washington this month, describing it as an amnesty plan that would reward people for breaking the law and cost taxpayers millions to provide them benefits.

But that is markedly different from how Romney once characterized McCain's bill, elements of which are receiving new attention in Congress and from President Bush. Indeed, Romney's past comments on illegal immigration suggest his views have hardened as he has ramped up his campaign for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination.

In a November 2005 interview with the Globe, Romney described immigration proposals by McCain and others as "quite different" from amnesty, because they required illegal immigrants to register with the government, work for years, pay taxes, not take public benefits, and pay a fine before applying for citizenship.

"That's very different than amnesty, where you literally say, 'OK, everybody here gets to stay,' " Romney said in the interview. "It's saying you could work your way into becoming a legal resident of the country by working here without taking benefits and then applying and then paying a fine."

Romney did not specifically endorse McCain's bill, saying he had not yet formulated a full position on immigration. But he did speak approvingly of efforts by McCain and Bush to solve the nation's immigration crisis, calling them "reasonable proposals."

Romney also said in the interview that it was not "practical or economic for the country" to deport the estimated 12 million immigrants living in the US illegally. "These people contribute in many cases to our economy and to our society," he said. "In some cases, they do not. But that's a whole group we're going to have to determine how to deal with."

6 posted on 05/19/2007 5:27:41 PM PDT by dirtboy (A store clerk has done more to fight the WOT than Rudy.)
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To: dirtboy

I’ve also hardened my views over time with respect to illegal immigration. Actually I know very few people who haven’t.


7 posted on 05/19/2007 5:37:25 PM PDT by TheLion (How about "Comprehensive Immigration Enforcement," for a change)
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To: dirtboy

You rail against the lies Liberals tell but use their spin as your source to vilify Romney. Interesting. Your info is straight out of the DNC.


8 posted on 05/19/2007 5:38:58 PM PDT by Reaganesque (Romney 2008)
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To: TheLion
I’ve also hardened my views over time with respect to illegal immigration. Actually I know very few people who haven’t.

Only 18 months ago, Mitt was doing his best to join the crowd who says amnesty isn't amnesty. That aint' that long ago.

I'm glad he is slamming this bill. But I also question conservative ephiphanies, as Tancredo noted, that happen on the road to Dimascus, not on the road to Des Moines.

9 posted on 05/19/2007 5:39:09 PM PDT by dirtboy (A store clerk has done more to fight the WOT than Rudy.)
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To: Reaganesque
You rail against the lies Liberals tell but use their spin as your source to vilify Romney. Interesting. Your info is straight out of the DNC.

Uh, no, that was from an interview Mitt had with the Boston Globe. Unless you can make the case that they kidnapped him at gunpoint and forced him to make those statements, I would say that his statements to the Boston Globe Editorial Board were made of his own free will.

10 posted on 05/19/2007 5:40:43 PM PDT by dirtboy (A store clerk has done more to fight the WOT than Rudy.)
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To: dirtboy

I like Mitt. I know he had a hard time being too conservative in Mass. He accompolished quite a bit with an 85% adverse congress. I think he has the right stuff to go all the way. I don’t see that in anyone else.


11 posted on 05/19/2007 5:42:52 PM PDT by TheLion (How about "Comprehensive Immigration Enforcement," for a change)
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To: EternalVigilance

Hey, check it out. The Mitt boosters now are saying that I am using liberal spin when I cite a Boston Globe interview with Mitt that he volunteered to do.


12 posted on 05/19/2007 5:44:09 PM PDT by dirtboy (A store clerk has done more to fight the WOT than Rudy.)
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To: Reaganesque
Seriously, I found Mitt's Globe interview in less than two minutes with a Google search. Do you think you can deny or spin away the fact that Mitt willfully made those statements to the Globe 18 months ago?

Get real and deal with the realities of the information age.

13 posted on 05/19/2007 5:46:27 PM PDT by dirtboy (A store clerk has done more to fight the WOT than Rudy.)
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To: dirtboy

Yeah. I’ve posted dozens of Globe articles about Romney - all straight reporting, factual stuff concerning his words and record. Not once have they been able to refute a word of any of it.

The funniest part is that when most of it was reported, it was reported because it was the messaging that the Romney camp wanted to get out...they were looking for liberal votes.


14 posted on 05/19/2007 5:48:19 PM PDT by EternalVigilance (GW Bush has broken the first rule of Texas politics: "Dance with the one that brung ya.")
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To: EternalVigilance

I dunno. Maybe these interviews were done under duress.


15 posted on 05/19/2007 5:51:47 PM PDT by dirtboy (A store clerk has done more to fight the WOT than Rudy.)
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To: dirtboy

Right. They had a gun to his head. No, wait! He banned all them scary guns...

;-)


16 posted on 05/19/2007 5:53:36 PM PDT by EternalVigilance (GW Bush has broken the first rule of Texas politics: "Dance with the one that brung ya.")
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To: dirtboy

Of course. Negative info on Romney is unassailable even when it comes from liberal sources (and as we all know, liberal journalists never show bias, just ask them) while anything even remotely positive about Mitt is total BS. Whatever.


17 posted on 05/19/2007 5:55:13 PM PDT by Reaganesque (Romney 2008)
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To: Reaganesque; EternalVigilance
Of course. Negative info on Romney is unassailable even when it comes from liberal sources

So, once again, please enlighten us how it came to pass that Mitt Romney was dragged into a Boston Globe interview against his will and forced under duress to emulate John McCain in parsing amnesty.

This outta be good.

18 posted on 05/19/2007 5:56:57 PM PDT by dirtboy (A store clerk has done more to fight the WOT than Rudy.)
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To: EternalVigilance; dirtboy

Don’t you two have some puppies to kick or something?


19 posted on 05/19/2007 5:57:35 PM PDT by Reaganesque (Romney 2008)
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To: dirtboy

Read the above post. But then, it’s all lies so, what’s the difference?


20 posted on 05/19/2007 5:58:35 PM PDT by Reaganesque (Romney 2008)
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