According to an AP article on ihp.com: “The Republican presidential candidates sought to embrace Hispanics in a Spanish language debate Sunday, striving to mark common ground with a growing voter bloc while softening the anti-illegal immigration rhetoric that has marked past encounters.”
The article continued: “Said Romney: ‘Those who have come illegally, in my view, should be given the opportunity to get in line with everybody else, but there should be no special pathway for those that have come here illegally to jump ahead of the line or to be come permanent residents or citizens.'” (Emphasis added). This is an interesting because the anti-immigrationists will immediately label giving the undocumented “an opportunity to get in line with everybody else” amnesty. Moreover, what specifically does Romney mean by this statement? Would the undocumented need to leave the US and return? If so, would they be subject to the 3 and 10 year bars to reentry that exist under current law?
Immigration is a losing political issue because if observers keep track of what is being said in one context, it will come back to haunt the chameleon politician in another.
