Rick Perry and the Republican Bind on Immigration

ABC News ^ | Sept. 28, 2011 | Devin Dwyer

[Clairity]

Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been a battletested advocate for immigration enforcement for more than a decade in one of America's most conservative states.

By many measures, Perry's approach to immigration ought to please the party faithful. In his decade-long term as governor, he cracked down on so-called sanctuary cities, imposed tough restrictions on drivers' licenses for immigrants, and sent armed Texas Rangers to the border while demanding more federal boots on the ground. He opposes a federal DREAM Act and a swift path to legalization for illegal immigrants.

"Of all the Republican candidates he's the one who stands out the most on wanting to deal with this issue and put it to bed and resolve the problems," said Jim Gilchrist, co-founder of the Minutemen Project, a Tea Party-aligned activist group that monitors activity along the U.S.-Mexico border.

[lentulusgracchus]

You much be impressed with Obama, “the great orator”.

What, now anyone who wants a President who'd be another Great Communicator instead of the dumbstruck and tongue-tied Bush 41 and 43, is now an Obama admirer?

Cheap shot. You know better.

[lentulusgracchus]

Bachman and Santorum, who hope to suckle on the Mitt Romney power teet should he become President helped pile on.

You got it backwards. Perry's much more likely to strike a deal with Mittens, based on their common RiNOism, and the fact that Perry's keepers are businessmen like Romney's keepers and fellow Yacht Club members.

hear Cains even said Perry was soft on border security. For now I will chalk that up to not knowing or understanding the facts.....

I chalk it up to Cain's knowing exactly what he was talking about.

[raybbr]

Here the problem: California, New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois. The Hispanics control the swing votes in these states. This is real leverage and both the Republicans and Democrats know this.

When did illegal immigration become solely an hispanic issue? What difference does it make to hispanic citizens of the U.S. what a candidate thinks about illegal hispanics? Haven't we been endlessly told that it not about race but it's about caring?

I am sick to death of the politicians in this country focusing on hispanics. When did hispanic become more important than Americans?

[Cboldt]

-- The candidates can't do squat about the illegals it's has to be an act by congress to get the problem solved. --

It's a mixed bag between Congress, the courts, and the executive.

Agreed that Congress has lots of the power, between setting policy, and then *funding* enforcement. But recent administrations are deliberately soft on enforcement, choosing to deport only those illegals that commit violent crime. It would be refreshing to hear a candidate describe the Congressional policy, then his or her commitment to request funds sufficient to faithfully execute it.

[raybbr]

LOL "Get America Working Again"

I notice there is no mention of Americans....

Study: Most new Texas jobs went to immigrants

[truthguy]

What difference does it make to hispanic citizens of the U.S. what a candidate thinks about illegal hispanics?

Surely yours is a rhetorical question. Hispanics care far more about their own ethnic group and its culture than they do about the United States. A huge amount of Hispanic population believe the Southwest US (California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas) ought to belong to Mexico and they would be more than happy to bring this about. The one advantage they have are numbers. They have huge families (one of the major reasons for poverty in Mexico and elsewhere) and will use this as a means to create the political environment which will ultimately result in the dissolution of the USA or in a second and more horrific civil war. This is a done deal as far as I can detect. I don't know when this will happen but IT WILL happen to be sure. Tough words? Yes, but someone needs to say these things.