Although I try not to be too political on this site, immigration and politics are inextricably linked. Being a Massachusetts resident, I have experienced first-hand the “governance” of Mitt Romney.
Romney spoke to the National Hispanic Assembly on Sunday. According to a Washington Post article, Romney said: “If you say, name people who are hardworking, seek education, love God, love their families and value freedom – it’s Hispanic-Americans, just like other Americans” and “I want to make sure we continue an open door in immigration that welcomes people who come here with those kinds of values.”
In contrast, as governor of Massachusetts, Romney’s goals were to: (1) deny in-state tuition to undocumented students; (2) have state and local police enforce immigration laws; and (3) deny driver’s licenses to undocumented aliens.
John McCain may take a stand on immigration that is unpopular with his base, but at least we know where he stands. Even President Bush has been consistent in his views on immigration. We should not reward Romney’s flip-flopping on such an important issue. Given the careful wording of his statements to the National Hispanic Assembly, Romney will undoubtedly distinguish his love for legal immigrants from his disdain for “illegal immigration.”
One thing is clear: Romney’s “views” on immigration depend on the audience he’s addressing.
