Romney attacks Obama for neglecting immigration issue

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

(CBS News) DAVENPORT, Iowa - Presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney went on the offensive Monday on immigration, charging that President Obama broke a campaign promise by neglecting it for most of his presidency.

Raising the issue on the stump for the first time since Obama's executive action Friday to let some undocumented young immigrants stay in the United States and work, Romney said Obama "said one thing and he's done a very different one," Romney told more than 400 people who turned out to hear him at Le Claire Park & Bandshell.

"He said, for instance, to the question of illegal immigration, that he was going to deal with immigration -- his first year he was going to focus on that," Romney said. "Did he do anything on immigration when he had a Democratic House and Senate? No. This is a president who has said one thing and done another."

Democrats and the White House tried to pass the DREAM Act offering a path to citizenship for certain young illegal immigrants, but it was blocked in the Senate in late 2010. Obama has negotiated with Republicans in Congress, notably House Speaker John Boehner, on ways to reduce the deficit, but the two sides were unable to reach a compromise.

Romney has not said what he would do to deal with the children of illegal immigrants and he has not said if he would repeal the president's action. In an interview with the Des Moines Register on Monday, Romney said his staff has been working with Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., on immigration reform.

Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, praised Republican governors in states like Iowa, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio for "making tough choices" that have helped their states recover from the recession.

"Then there are some other places. Like California. Not doing so well. They have taken a very different course," he said of the state led by Democrat Jerry Brown. "Unfortunately, we have a president who has taken us on the course of California and Europe."

Romney showed a lighter side during a post-rally chat with the media on his charter plane. "What's the best piece of advice on those rope lines?" asked NBC's Peter Alexander. "Stop trying to be like yourself. Be someone else. Just don't be you," Romney said, to laughter, before adding, "I'm just kidding."

[TimeToEvolve]

Robmee must really like the plan if he is criticizing it. That's how Republicons roll, whatever they say is pretty much the opposite of how they feel or what the truth is.

[benunhappy]

The GOP always wanted to be GOD , they have been pushing to build another berlin wall but didn't realize that america is and has been the melting pot of the world.They keep toughting no LATINO's ,send them back,except the ones working for them and now Asians surpass Latino's guess they didn't see that because the GOP don't hire ASIANS they think the asians stink,thier gonna need a bigger WALL

[mollydtt]

LOL! The GOP and Romney plans are to wait to see what the president does, and then loudly decry how horrible it is, or how unconstitutional it is, or how political it is.
I live in Texas, and trust me, Perry and the other GOP politicians here have no intention of ever passing any kind of immigration laws.
They want the support of the tea party, yet they need the votes of the minorities. Oops.
Honestly, we have some very well educated people in Texas that we are deporting every day, and yet our "native born" students can't pass the state tests. Where ARE we going to get those engineers we need to fill the jobs that don't have qualified applicants.

[sjc_1]

The GOP was all over the map on this one. He can't do that, then he should have done it long ago, then it is not a long term solution, when they wanted NO solution at all. Amazing...

[realpatriot1776]

any attack toward Romney, is the obvious Obama, stay the course we are heading in a direction that place the U.S.A. under those nations that have always been against freedom, and democracy, Obama is taking us toward a welfare state where the working few are paying for the unemployed and high paid politicians, the career politicians have always presented a campaign that jobs and economic strength was important but we have seen where Obama gave huge money to E.C.o.'s and they took it and retired, we paid their severance package, are you happy now, or are you ignoring how bad things are looking.

[benunhappy]

well when big buisness cuts the pay then the benifits before they send your jobs overseas just so they can declare hugh profits and the very wealthy don't pay what the average mom and pop pay in taxes so they can spend spend spend on lobbiest and politicians that do nothing except what these thieving basturds pay them too say (what the koch brothers want to hear),YOU ARE NEXT. HOPE your neighbors don't keep thier garage doors open, they might find you in there after they have driven the honor and honesty out of you just to feed your kids while they throw 250 thousand dollar parties just to sell thier old shoes.We blame a wise president for the GOP constantly overspending just so the Democrats bail us out AGAIN. They say let the States take care of it but the states kepp using TIF'S so the wealthy don't use thier money to start another buisness and us po folk has to bail out even more. Show everybody how blind and ignoant you can bee,oh you just di!

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

I really find this to be hilarious.

Anything Obama has or would do re:immigration, Romney and the repubs would surely fight him tooth and nail over yet Romney takes Obama to task for not doing "more".

Hispanics see which party is throwing them under the bus and which party is trying to make some thoughtful accomodations regarding their lot.

[wdh3007]

I agree Romney should be himself perhaps he is comfortable in jeans especailly as much as he travels. If he wears them in the white house then you will know he was always doing it for comfort and not just to appease someone else. If this is all the country has to offer then I will take Romney even though he is probably doing what his financers tell him to do. The day he ever says end the Fed is the day I take him seriously but I won't hold my breath.

[robert1129]

I am truly surprised at the postings but not about Romney's lies:

1. This was not an Executive Order. DHS, due to severe budget constraints, decided that they would not go after folks that fit certain guidelines. They had to do it to fit OMB guidelines. Because of the significance of it, President Obama announced it.
2. Romney knows full well that almost all of Obama's promises had to be postponed or done away with because of the economic emergency Obama had to deal with in January 2009. But he is convinced that they only way he has a chance is to criticize Obama. He forgot that the public is not stupid.
3. During his 2008 campaign and during the primaries this year, Romney heavily criticized efforts at immigration reform. From his statements we know his extreme anti hispanic positions and he cannot erase that before 11/06/2012.
3. Romney has no way to identify with the voters, except the very rich. He has never had to exist paycheck to paycheck and never will.
4. Neither Romney or his five healty sons have ever served one day in the military and never will. Neither has Obama but he had said on many occasions that if he had a do over he would serve. Obama acknowledges this mistake but the Romneys never will.

[nohater]

simple really. you are either for obama or romney no matter what either says or does. neither man is perfect nor has there ever been a perfect potus or perfect candidate for potus. vote according to your wallet, your skin color, your morals, your whatever but do take the time to register and vote come november. has there ever been a 100% voter turnout in a presidential election? thinking not.

[bradkt1]

This is a really pathetic line of attack. I hope that Mitt can do better than this or this election is already lost for the GOP. The fact is that the GOP wants to kick all illegal immigrants out of the country. That's no way to get the Latino vote.

You actually have to propose an idea Mitt. You can't just sit back and criticize. You have to put something call a detailed plan on the table for everybody to see and critique.

Until you do that, this line of attack is a joke.

[sjc_1]

Considering that they are more than 10% of the population and the elections have been 50/50, yes they CAN decide the next president.

[varigdc10]

I wish Rom would stop wearing blue jeans to show people he is a "regular guy " when he is not. He should at least look himself in front of people, just wear a suit and tie as he really is !