Romney Attacked On Immigration
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Rick Santorum went after Mitt Romney Thursday on the issue of unauthorized immigration, saying the former Massachusetts governor supported pathways to citizenship before he opposed them.
"Mitt Romney has the position now that people have to go home, but it was just a few years ago he said there could be a pathway to citizenship," the former Senator from Pennsylvania said. "Now he's changed his position, I understand that. He's done that on a couple occasions."
Romney said his position has been consistent and he has always opposed allowing undocumented immigrants to gain legal status.
"We're not going to round them all up and deport them, but we're also not going to give them a preferential pathway to become permanent residents or citizens," Romney said during the debate. "They need to go back home, apply for citizenship, apply for permanent residence, like everybody else."
In the past, Romney has made vague statements that others said support "amnesty," although he has said they were misunderstood.
In the 2008 McCain opposition research book on Romney, put out earlier this week, there are several quotes from Romney on the issue of "amnesty."
In November 2005, Romney said McCain's immigration plan was “quite different” from amnesty and was "reasonable."
Romney in 2005: "I think an amnesty program is what -- which is all the illegal immigrants who are here are now citizens, and walk up and get your citizenship. What the president has proposed, and what Senator McCain and Cornyn have proposed, are quite different than that." In March 2006, Romney supported "path toward citizenship" for illegal immigrants.
Romney in 2006: "Those that are here paying taxes and not taking government benefits should begin a process towards application for citizenship."
Romney in 2006: "The 11 million or so that are here are not going to be rounded up and box-carted out of America."
Romney told Tim Russert in 2008 that his statements on immigration were at times taken out of context, specifically mentioning his quote that a play was "reasonable," which he said was different from endorsing it.
Since then, Romney has come down even harder on immigration. He, Santorum and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) all oppose any form of legal status for undocumented immigrants currently in the country unless they go back to their native countries first -- which often means they will never return.
Romney has said he would veto the Dream Act, a bill to provide legal status to some undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. as children so long as they attend college or join the military.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is the sole presidential candidate to say some path to legal status is necessary for the undocumented immigrants with longstanding ties to the United States. He drew some fire for that stance on Thursday, but said it was tougher than many believed.
"I believe in what I describe, most of them will go home," Gingrich said of undocumented immigrants.
-- Elise Foley
