During Tuesday’s Republican debate in Washington, D.C., Newt Gingrich dropped a bombshell. Speaking about illegal immigration, Gingrich first said: "If you've come here recently you have no ties to this country, you oughta go home, period." But then he followed that up by saying: "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 were gonna separate you from your family, uproot you forcefully, and kick you out."
Newt’s fellow presidential candidates immediately pounced on him. Mitt ‘All Sides’ Romney said: "To [say] that we're gonna say to the people who've come here illegally that now you're all gonna get to stay or some large number are gonna get to stay and become permanent residents of the United States, that will only encourage more people to do the same thing."
Gingrich came back with: "As somebody who believes strongly in family, you're going to have a hard time explaining why that particular subset is being broken up and forced to leave given the fact that they've been law-abiding citizens for the last 25 years."
As for ‘All Sides’ Romney, he was not a hardliner on immigration back on December 16, 2007 when he told Tim Russert on NBC's Meet the Press: "They should have a set period during which period they sign up for application for permanent residency or for citizenship. But there's a set period whereupon they should return home. And if they've been approved for citizenship or for a permanent residency, well, that would be a different matter. But for the great majority, they'll be going home." Back then ‘All Sides’ was in favor of a pathway to citizenship, now he isn’t. A typical Romney politically convenient flip-flop.
As for me, I’m with Newt! Breaking up a family that’s been here for 25 years or so which has been otherwise law abiding and contributing positively to our society, just doesn’t live up to our American ideals. OK, so giving these illegals a path to citizenship may encourage others to enter our country illegally, but what really draws them here is jobs, not a desire to become American citizens.
1 comment:
I confess to being conflicted on this issue. Illegals are, by definition, here illegally. They are breaking the law simply by being here. I have had a couple of unfortunate dealings with them as a result of auto accidents. Unlicensed drivers are almost always uninsured drivers and since they can easily disappear if they want to it can make it hard on law abiding drivers.
There should be a way for productive aliens to get the right to be here legally (not necessarily STAY HERE long term) and work. It should not be a path to citizenship.
Also if I could wave my magic wand anchor babies would no longer exist. I do think the constitution should be looked at to address this issue. That amendment was passed to ensure civil rights for freed black slaves before America had immigration laws of any kind. The issue can, and should, be revisited (but it won't be).
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