Posted on 11/26/2011 1:01:37 PM PST by presidio9
GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich defended his immigration stance Friday, claiming that he was "not for amnesty."
“I am not for amnesty for anyone. I am not for a path to citizenship for anybody who got here illegally,” Gingrich said at a town hall event in Naples, Florida according to media reports.
“But I am for a path to legality for those people whose ties run so deeply in America that it would truly be a tragedy to try and rip their family apart," said the former House Speaker.
Gingrich has been under fire from some anti-illegal immigration groups since last Tuesday's GOP debate where he spoke out against deporting many illegal immigrant families.
During Friday’s town hall, Gingrich said that if elected he would make securing the border a priority and would support efforts to make English the country's official language.
He said he would also establish a guest-worker program to allow migrants to work in the U.S. But under such a program, businesses which hired undocumented workers would be hit with fines.
"I would have very, very stiff economic penalties for anyone who hires somebody who is not legally inside the system," Gingrich vowed.
At last Tuesday’s GOP debate, Gingrich said that he supported efforts to allow tax-paying illegal immigrants without criminal records to remain in the country or gain citizenship.
“If you've come here recently, you have no ties to this country, you ought to go home, period,” Gingrich had said. “If you've been here 25 years and you got three kids and two grandkids, you've been paying taxes and obeying the law, you belong to a local church, I don't think we're going to separate you from your family, uproot you forcefully and kick you out.”
"I don't see how the party that says it's the party of the family is going to adopt an immigration policy which destroys families which have been here a quarter-century," he added. "I'm prepared to take the heat for saying let's be humane in enforcing the law."
Gingrich has faced criticism for his comments from other Republicans. Rep. Michelle Bachmann (Minn.) said in an interview that Gingrich had the “most liberal position on illegal immigration of any of the candidates in the race.”
Influential Iowa congressman Rep. Steve King (R) described Gingrich’s proposals as a “form of amnesty”
“I wouldn’t agree with him on that policy,” King added, suggesting that Gingrich had hurt his chances of winning his endorsement prior to the Iowa caucuses.
The furor over Gingrich’s immigration stance comes as new national polls place him ahead of Romney in the GOP field.
“name your candidate, and why you prefer his or her solution for immigration reform”
Good luck with this. They want to attack but not give their alternative.
Well let me ask you this. Why is Canada and the US well off and Mexico isn't? You think there is a physical barrier to wealth at our southern border? Mexico is a wealthy country resource-wise. And whose job is it to make Mexico a wealthy country? If Mexicans won't do it themselves no one will be able to do it for them. Counting on Mexico to become like Canada is asking for a complete culture shift, which they have no desire to make. Build the fence...secure the border and quit offering benefits for breaking the laws of a sovereign country...
It’s all about attitude and fair government isn’t it?
Have you ever been to Mexico? It is one of the most corrupt Governments on the planet.
They screw their people.
They are so freekin racist you can’t imagine.
I don’t want to hear any of that racist crap from folks seeking economic asylum.
We should be beating up the Mex Gov and the drug cartels.
Mexico is on of the most resource rich places on the planet.
We have this situation because the Mex Gov sucks major ***
Exactly and whose fault is that? When was the last time you saw a government protest in Mexico like we have right now with the Occupy and Poop all over Wall Street? Point is Mexicans themselves have to do something about it and looks like they have no will or intention...just travel north and bitch at Americans...
Like Carlos Mencia said: “there is no problem in American of finding a white European who will say “Europe Sucks”...but try to find a Mexican that will say that Mexico sucks....(crickets chirping) “....
I wake up Hispanics to this point ALL the time.
You are protesting the wrong people.
BTTT! --->
If an individual is siding with ILLEGAL aliens over American citizens they are certainly not conservative.
Indeed.
I'm protesting Mexicans who won't take any responsibility for their situation and those who support them....if you are neither don't take it personally...
I am on your side on this matter.
Mexicans that protest the USA are ***holes and are on the wrong side of things.
They should protest Mexico.
They should thank the USA.
Amen to that~
I believe that sincerely.
We get a bad rap in America.
It has gotten to the point that we tear our own apart over Mexico’s failures.
I believe that sincerely.
We get a bad rap in America.
It has gotten to the point that we tear our own apart over Mexico’s failures.
I don’t know why Newt bothers to explain his position; only those smart enough to understand already will get it.
Absolutely right on the money...
Honestly, I have been called a traitor on these border wars and I have been on the front lines.
I have honestly opened eyes with many Hispanics who find it EASY to blame the USA for their plight.
They would not be here if their own Gov took care of them.
I'm not surpised that you feel that way, but you're wrong. Your racism reflects badly on the rest of us who choose to post here. Other people read this website, see your garbage, and associate it with the rest of us. Luckily, the moderator saw what you did and deleted post 99 & post 65 because I told him to. The rest of us don't need that crap here.
Well the latter is what counts most..:)
Actually liberals lik to modify a point beyond its original intention, and then debate that modification. I call it the "bastard strawman."
Note, that I never said anything remotely like "You hate Newt Gingrich because you disagree with him." My point was that that a more valuable use of everyone's time would be for people to be posting solutions instead of single minded attacks. However, if you prefer only the attacks, then, yeah, "hate" sounds about right from where I'm sitting. If your only goal is to attack one candidate, and you have no alternatives, please tell me what else is motivating you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.