Romney slams Obama over immigration record

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, campaigns in Muskego, Wis., Saturday, March 31, 2012.

/ Steven Senne

(CBS News) MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Making a pitch aimed at the nation's growing pool of Hispanic voters, Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney attacked President Obama today for failing to fix the nation's broken immigration system. He said that as president he would allow immigrants with advanced college degrees to stay in the country.

Speaking at an oil distributorship, the former Massachusetts governor said the president "chooses to do nothing" about fixing America's immigration laws and noted that Obama had pledged to make the issue a priority during his 2008 campaign for the White House.

"He campaigned saying he was going to reform immigration laws and simplify and protect the border and so forth, and then he had two years with a Democrat House and Democrat Senate and a super majority in each House, and he did nothing," Romney told a town hall audience. "So let the immigrant community not forget that while he uses this as a political weapon, he does not take responsibility for fixing the problems we have."

Candidate page: Mitt Romney
Complete coverage: Election 2012

Romney has staked out one of the most conservative positions on immigration in the Republican field, saying he would veto the DREAM Act, which provides a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants. He has also called Arizona's tough immigration law a "model" for the country. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/romney-arizona-immigration-law-a-model/2012/02/23/gIQA8ULZVR_blog.html The Arizona law makes the failure to carry immigration papers a crime and also grants police the authority to detain anyone they believe might be in the country illegally.

Romney has also said he is in favor of "self-deportation," in which illegal immigrants without proper work identification cards would be denied jobs and leave the country on their own.

But today in Wisconsin, Romney declined to mention those positions when asked what type of immigration reforms he would implement if elected. Instead, he called the country's current policies "upside down," saying they made it harder for highly skilled and educated workers to come to the country, while allowing those who were here illegally without such skills to remain indefinitely. He suggested that immigrants with master's degrees or Ph.D's be automatically allowed to remain.

"Staple a green card to their diploma - welcome to the United States of America!" Romney said. "We want those people in our country."

He also said he wanted to simplify the legal immigration process to make it easier for all workers to enter. "We love people coming here legally, particularly that speak English, that can work in jobs here, that can create new industries, that are innovative," he said.

Gabriela Domenzain, a spokesman for the Obama reelection campaign, said, "Mitt Romney's attempt to Etch A Sketch his record on immigration has begun. But his extreme positions on immigration can't be erased. He has campaigned with the nation's leading anti-immigrant voices, promised to veto the DREAM Act, and wants to encourage all undocumented immigrants to self-deport. He would have the most extreme immigration platform of any presidential nominee in recent history."

[ferretlady2]

I would like to point out that the two laws that are mentioned above in the article are both already on the federal books. Since 1940 all legal and illegal aliens must carry identification on them at all times. And the other law that states that local law enforcement can determine the immigration status of those they reasonably suspect to be in the country illegally while stopping, detaining or arresting someone for another infraction. That federal law has also been on the federal books for many years. So all the fighting over these particular laws is pointless and a waste of time. A lot of the problem is the fact the the police departments in some of these states have either not known about both of these laws or chose to ignore them.

[mopickelly]

Why does he find it necessary to pander to an ethnic group if that ethnic group cares more about supporting lawbreakers (illegal aliens) from that group than this American nation? We need to start enforcing our immigration laws regardless of what any ethnic, racial or national group thinks.

[futuristic1-2009]

1954~Sept. My S/S Was starting to get Smaller. Republican
1961~$150 Million of S/S went to NASA,Billion went back to S/S.Democrat
NASA Engineering Firm Voted. Republican
1984~ My Daughter College Stock got STOLEN SHH Don't Say Republican ^ Bush,Two
1984~ 401-K Got Deregulated.SHH Don't Say Republican Reagan.
2008~ 2 Trillion 401-K GOT STOLEN. SHH Don't Say Republican Reagan.
2012~TEXAS CO/Pay went Up on Prescription our Law maker did'th take care of Medicaid.
TEXAS~ Did'nt take care of Medicare/My Insurance went up $240.00 PER Month for A 73Yrs.old I Now have to pay $840.00 A Month,
SHH all together now Say Republican. I will await A Response.

[tonyatq]

It's the general election and he need the hispanic vote.

[leithflood]

It's election time again, come blow your horn. All the hot air from the White House is being recirculated. Why, we've never had it so good. Every one is working,( shovel ready ) The economy is coming along, we have cut back on spending and the debt is under control. The wars are winding down, and we are working every day with the Congress to cut taxes and improve relations. What problems, we don't have any. Things are just peachy. Don't worry about health care, we can threaten the Judge's, they'll get in line. We are sending Biden out to talk to big labor, and pick up more of the members dues money. Well, I have a golf date to-day, and an all-night party at the White House to-night. Don't forget to vote for me, and what's his name. Were having a blast on your dime.

[shnovitz]

Wow. Good letter.

[ibsteve2u]

Romney shaking his Etch-a-Sketch on immigration while at an oil distributorship...priceless.

[democracy8]

Obama has already deported more illegals in less than 4 years than Bush did in 8. Also, I find it ironic that Romney said this on the same day that it was reported that 3,200 illegals were being deported. Yeah, Mitt, you ARE out of touch, in so very MANY ways.

[mopickelly]

Someone is lying. Obama and his cohoarts state that the border is secure. Noone is crossing the borders illegally. And they have supposedly made record deportations. But proven facts show that the decline of the illegal aliens living in the U.S. stopped as soon as Obama took office. The raids made on unscrupulous businesses hiring illegal aliens had practically stopped illegal immigration and caused nundreds of thousands to self deport. Obama stopped those raids as soon as he took office. Shame on this administration. They have encouraged illegal immigration and protected illegal aliens at a time when we have millions of Americans and legal immigrant unemployed!!!

[nottellin1]

Obama's # of deportations may be large but thats only because he is deporting the same criminals again and again. Just last month 20 illegals were apprehended off a boat in Cali. 4 were women, 2 were boat crew and 13 were previously deported felons. Crimes from rape to murder.

[omnibus66]

He said that as president he would allow immigrants with advanced college degrees to stay in the country.

Is he running for President, or maybe he thinks it's for Dictator. Based on this statement, he is totally unaware of how the government works. Not only is he a proven liar (how Christian), he is evidently sealing the winning quinella with stupidity.

I would suggest that after he seals the nomination and does his Etch-A-Sketch transformation that he should at least give a quick look at the Constitution. Maybe then he might get a hint at what the President can or cannot do without congressional approval.

[facelessdrone2005]

Let's see. First, both parties voted 10 years ago to unemploy Americans who aren't college grads by shipping all the manufacturing to China and all the call-center jobs to India. Next, let's take the next step and adopt the Romney plan and unemploy all the American college grads as well, by letting foreign college grads come here. After all, it's soooo easy for American college grads to get a job here already. Then, let's blame Obama for everything.

How about something simpler, Romney? How about just enforcing the immigration laws here? Build the border wall and beef up the Border Patrol? But Romney can't say that because Obama is already doing that. His best bet would be to start putting some U.S. employers of illegals IN JAIL where they belong, but apparently he won't do that because he is one of them!

[rightontarget]

That's exactly correct. There are ALREADY laws in place regarding this issue if we would just ENFORCE them!!! U.S. employers, and anyone who would rent or sell a home to illegals SHOULD be put IN JAIL. Also I think that PROOF you are in this country LEGALLY should be required before ANYONE can register to attend ANY and ALL United States Schools.

[greco99-2009]

At the debate Romney said 'I've never hired an Illegal' less than two minutes later he admitted that 'a company he hired' to do his lawn (and construction, which he conveniently forgot) had hired illegals.

Oh yeah that makes it ok, because it was a company he hired.

Mitt is not just a baldfaced liar, he is pretty bad at lying. Obvious he would be caught on that one.

Ask yourself why Mitt lies so much - because he has his own agenda and will sell out his supporters and the American people.

This man is dangerous. Santorum is right - Obama is better.