Romney’s Suggestion for Handling Illegal Immigrants? ‘Self-Deportation’
- Posted on January 24, 2012 at 12:28am by
Christopher Santarelli
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As the campaign trail for Republican presidential candidates has made its way to Florida, the very diverse and largest primary state thus far, the issue of immigration has found its way more frequently in the stump speeches of each candidate. During Monday’s NBC/National Journal debate, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney gave a somewhat odd answer for solving the nation’s illegal immigration problems: ‘self-deportation.’
Romney’s simple answer for dealing with over 12 million illegal immigrants already in the country drew audible rumbles from the crowd.
The answer came from a question by the Tampa Times’ Adam Smith who asked that if Romney wants illegal immigrants to go back home and apply for citizenship, but doesn’t “want to go rounding up people and deport them,” how will he get them to leave?
“The answer is self-deportation, which is people decide that they can do better by going home because they can’t find work here because they don’t have legal documentation to allow them to work here,” said Romney.
Romney went on to say that under his plan, people who have come to the United States illegally would be given a transition period to work here, but when that transition period is over they would no longer have “the documentation” to work here.
“At that point, they can decide whether to remain or whether to return home, and apply for legal residency in the United States,” Romney said. “Get in line with everybody else.”
Romney said his plan differs from the current situation because he would require employers to ask for a card to E-verify who is here legally.
“But I just don‘t think it’s fair to the people who have loved ones waiting in line legally to come to America, and say ‘guess what, we’re going to encourage a wave of illegal immigration, again, by giving amnesty of some kind to those who came here illegally,” said Romney.
Fellow candidate Rick Santorum agreed. The former Pennsylvania senator said that since the recession has diminished so many job opportunities, illegal workers are leaving. “It’s happening now. People are going back now,” Santorum said.
The Hill notes that Romney could have made an additional misfire when speaking about English as an official language.
“Romney said that because schools in Massachusetts taught children in the language of their homes, ‘At the end of their education experience they could ’no speak English’ well.’
The remark, in which he seemed to adopt a slightly Hispanic accent, could be seen as mocking and may be a misfire in an otherwise carefully worded answer. It could be very dangerous for Romney in the general election.”
All four candidates said that they would prefer making English the official national language. However, Texas Rep. Ron Paul specified in his answer that while he supports English on the federal level, he would not want a federal law that would prohibit a state like Florida from having city ballots or other ballots in another language besides English.
Continuing the immigration discussion during Monday night’s debate, Speaker Gingrich said if president he would veto a version of the proposed DREAM Act that would allow a path to citizenship for children who come to the United States with their undocumented parents if they complete college, but would allow illegal immigrants to earn citizenship if they serve America in uniform. The Associated Press notes that Gingrich said college graduation alone is not enough.
Romney and Santorum said they would veto any version of the DREAM Act that gives citizenship for college graduates. As for those who serve in the military, Romney was in some agreement with Gingrich.
POLITICO notes that in Iowa last month, Romney had said he would veto the DREAM Act but liked parts that focused on military service, saying, “”I’m delighted with the idea that people who come to this country and wish to serve in the military can be given a path to become permanent residents of this country.”
Immigration issues play a significant role in Florida politics due to the state’s large Hispanic population.
NPR reports that a December survey of 500 Latino registered voters, conducted by impreMedia and the polling group Latino Decisions, showed that 46 percent of Hispanics believe Republicans “don’t care too much” about them. Another 27 percent said Republicans “are being hostile.”
Somos Republicans, the country’s largest Hispanic Republican group, endorsed Speaker Gingrich last Monday.
Mediaite video of Romney‘s ’self-deportation’ suggestion:
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JLGunner
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 9:32amthey will self deport after a few rapes and murders.
Report Post »USPATRIOT101
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 9:44amThis has got to be the most idiotic statement I’ve ever heard. Whats next, death row inmates kill themselves?
Report Post »garyM
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 8:46amProverbs 6
Report Post »16 There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
Baddoggy
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 7:00amHere is the answer…
Bring our troops home for National defense. Secure the borders, deport any illegals, fine the crap out of any business or individual that would hire an illegal, stop allowing them to have welfare, food stamps, schooling. medical care other than life saving and it matters not how long they have been here. Also, anchor babies are NOT American citizens. Send them back too…
Oversty your visa…We take all the money you have in bank accounts here, all your peoperty too and then put you in prison for a year then send your sorry butt home to your stinkhole country.
This would create a lot of bus company jobs with buses headed back to the mexican border. people say this is unworkable. That is the LIBERAL talking point. They say it ishows no compassion. I say if someone breaks into your house do you show them compassion? Bullcrap! They can thank their lucky stars I did not shoot them!
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 8:41amAnd stop all monetary wire transfers to Mexico too…
Report Post »JLGunner
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 9:33amYou should see the money going through Banco Popular and Banco De Mexico.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 6:57amAnd it is’nt 12 million, its more like 40 million…. Hows that for an inconveniant truth ???
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 6:54amIm sure the illegals will be fine with that….. As long as we will forward the welfare checks to Mexico…… Cuz 72% are on government assistance, and we wonder why we’re BROKE… the Illegal Federal Government can self deport also, then we begin to prosper as a nation again….
Report Post »USAF2003
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 6:47amAll 4 Pres. hopefulls answers sucked. How about, round em all up, drop em off across the border and leave the rest up to them. Anyone caught after that here illegally sits in jail (Sheriff Joes style) for 3 months then shipped out.
Report Post »USPATRIOT101
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 9:46amThese guys are trying to get elected. They wont do or say anything that might lose them the latino vote.
Report Post »AmeriCat
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 4:07amRomney says the solution is “self’-deportation”…..?
Is this a joke?
What’s next…let all prisoners out of jail, on their promise of good behavior?
Report Post »Oh that’s right, the former Illinois State Representative already tried that.
It didn’t pass, so now it got replaced with “Fast and Furious.”
Stuck_in_CA
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 6:17amUnfortunately, all these guys are lacking in this category. Santorum, until the last few weeks was a “D” grade, now mysteriously moved up to “A-” at https://www.numbersusa.com/content/action/2012-presidential-hopefuls-immigration-stances.html
Report Post »rsanchez1
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 2:23amRomney… what the hell are you thinking? Yeah, they’ll voluntarily leave the country they immigrated into.
Romney should look into purchasing a teleprompter. Maybe ask BHO where he got his.
Report Post »Return2Freedom
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 3:52amI like the term Self Deportation. I watched the illegals in Arizona self deport after we passed SB1070. Look they only have 2 choices. Leave or take the chance of being arrested. It works. Yeah SELF DEPORTATION is just a polite way of saying, time is up. Get in line and become a legal citizen. You can no longer work here illegally. We have to know who is in our country.
Report Post »Stuck_in_CA
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 6:20amMitt & Newt agree on this one. If you enforce the existing laws, MANY will self-deport.
Report Post »hacker2000
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 1:53amSELF DEPORTATION!! this stuff is so funny you wonder if Mitt is from this planet ,
Oh mitt !!!Can you guess if i would DEPORT MYSELF from a ROOM full of NAKED MODELS who want to have S.EX with me , or a drug addict who have a room full of DRUGS.
Who is this guy?? And you wonder why this guy as a politician is a career loser.
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 2:00amDon’t worry everyone, because Obama has a plan to get rid of the illegals. First he exports all the jobs, then he collapses our economy, to enable to final transformation of the US into a Hellhole….. all the illegals will be running for the border to get away.
Report Post »PJL
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 1:39amYes people will self deport, if we enforce the hiring laws, no income you’ll go where you can find it.
Report Post »Got2bRoni
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 1:17amThere is no easy answer here. At least he had a workable plan…
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 3:30amGOT2BRONI, HUH? Like these people who snuck into our country illegally are going to go back on their own? Why would they? Free health care, food stamps, they get paid in cash for the most part which means they pay 0 taxes. They do not have car insurance. Their kids get free lunches in schools, Free college tuition if BHO gets his way. They don’t follow hardly any of our laws so why would they start now? I agree that when the work is gone some may leave but not all of them. First we have to close the borders and then a process has to begin. I had a co-worker years ago whose daughter had three kids from an illegal. He stopped working altogether and they lived on the money she got from Government assistance. He also had children by other American girls. He hated my co-worker. He told her that they are told to come here and have as many children as possible. According to him the plan was to make the Mexican population the majority and eventually take back their land. I am not saying all of them are here for that reason but I think many are. He was a drug dealer and was arrested many times and released. There are allot of crimes in our area committed by illegals. We see it daily in our local paper. It is a problem and has to be addressed. I wish someone would come up with a real plan. I feel very sorry for the children. The illegals have to go back . If they apply for citizenship legally at a later date and after a background check I would not have a problem with it.
Report Post »macpappy
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 1:01amRomney is Obama lite, At least i know that Newt will give everybody hell and fight for the conservative platform, kinda, maybe, hell he might.
Report Post »AxelPhantom
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 12:42am“the polling group Latino Decisions, showed that 46 percent of Hispanics believe Republicans “don’t care too much” about them. Another 27 percent said Republicans “are being hostile.”
Were these polled hispanics who came here legally?
Report Post »oldguy49
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 12:51amafter seeing what happened in arizona and alabama when the passed their immigration laws……….yep illegals will for a large part self deport ………then we need to have penalities like mexico———-2 years for being illegal in country
Report Post »Return2Freedom
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 4:09amWhen the mormons were in Mexico, Poncho Villa and his bandits would raid their towns and chased most of them back into the USA. They didn’t allow any immigration. I like the idea that Mitt will let them self deport. Seems safer. I’m just saying…
Report Post »fullblownjackass
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 12:33amThe reason Newt has had 3 wives has to be because he is good in bed. Think of all the positions he can get into without a SPINE!
Report Post »http://voices.yahoo.com/newt-gingrich-conservative-futurist-10844011.html?cat=49
Stuck_in_CA
Posted on January 24, 2012 at 6:24amConsidering some of your past posts here, I can see why you chose FULLBLOWNJACKASS for your handle. Troll
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