Romney's speech pleases few on both sides of the immigration debate

(CBS News) Mitt Romney was in a difficult position. As the presumptive Republican presidential nominee spoke before the conference of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials in Orlando, Romney had to navigate a fine line between appealing to his Republican base critical of illegal immigration and the Latino community who he also needs to beat President Obama in November.

At first glance, Romney failed to please either side, with anti-illegal immigration groups disappointed that the former Massachusetts governor moved from the stricter positions he embraced during his primary campaign, and immigration advocacy organizations critical of his failure to address what to do with 11 million immigrants currently living in the United States illegally.

Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum Action Fund, said Romney's speech "fell short."

"The Republican Party needs visionary plans to fix the immigration system, not tweaks around the margin where the only path to legal status for grandmothers is to enlist in the military," Noorani said, referring to Romney's endorsement of allowing illegal youth to receive residency through enlisting in the military. 

Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice, a pro-immigration group, criticized Romney's policy outline.

Romney says he'll replace Obama's immigration plan

"He promised a mandatory employment verification system, which is the underpinning of his radical 'self-deportation' position, with no mention of a line to get into for the millions of undocumented workers currently in the U.S.," Sherry said.

Meanwhile, Ira Mehlman, spokesman with the Federation of American Immigration Reform (FAIR), a group critical of immigration, said the employment verification system, also known as E-verify, "is one of the few areas where he does seem to be advocating for some progress."

(Watch Dean Reynolds' story from CBS Evening News.)

Mehlman, however, said Romney's position turned "180 degrees" from the policies he backed in the primary, where he called for self-deportation - strict enforcement causing illegal immigrants to want to return to their country of origin.

"He wants to bring in lots of additional guest workers despite the fact the biggest issue in this election is unemployment," Mehlman told Hotsheet. Romney said he would increase the number of visas for high-skilled workers and implement a temporary or seasonal worker program.

As for the president's proposal to allow up to 1.4 million undocumented youth to apply for work visas, Romney did not say if he would overturn it.   

"This is a guy just a few months ago would veto the DREAM Act as president," Mehlman said, referring to legislation that would give undocumented students the opportunity for residency. 

Sherry with America's Voice said, Romney "he won't offer up details and firmly commit."

"I can't imagine Romney's [speech] would qualify as leadership on this issue," FAIR's Mehlman said,

[joachim55]

the key word in all this is "illegal" and this is where is would be appropriate to use the word "entitlements" because that's what a lot of these people seem to expect
my job is gone because I'm over 50, and a lot of the work is being outsourced out of the country because of taxes...I've followed all the rules, payed all the taxes, but not "entitled" yet...where's mine?

[hillzhavays]

"Romney's speech pleases few..."

----

Shouldn't that read: "Romney's speeches pleases few."
_________________________________

No, it should read "Romney's speeches please few."

pleases is the 3rd person singular present of the verb please. You need the plural version.

[Libertyprotected]

I hope the new president -- upholds all federal immigration laws

NEVER make a rule/law you are unwilling to enforce.

The president took an oath to uphold the constitution -- not ignore it

VOTE wisely in 2012 --- we need stability and security

GREAT QUOTE==> Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty.

WHO wrote that quote?

[mryoubrian]

Just a thought-

BEFORE you go spouting off at the mouth.... you had better research YOUR family history. I would guess that 95% of immigrants come to America BEFORE they complete their paperwork to become citizens and the INCLUDES some of all of our ancestors.

Some came to escape war, some to escape famine and many other emergency situations in which we relaxed the rules out of compassion.

My great,great,great,great,great grandfather came here as an immigrant from Ireland in 1768 and he was living here and WAS NOT a citizen- because we didn't have a country yet! Yet that immigrant fought in the revolutionary war for you to have YOUR freedoms. The other side of my family has been here for about 330 years, so they were immigrants also.

Many Scottish came over to fight, I believe, in the war of 1812 and decided to stay after the war. They were not even illegal immigrants.... they were the enemy!
So if you are Scottish, Irish, Jewish,French,Italian,Spanish,Korean, Vietnamese, Cuban,or even German.... you had best do some research about your own ancestors first BEFORE you start knocking people who came to this country before they were citizens.

And by the way, before you relish and enjoy your freedoms in this country..... stop and thank an immigrant who fought and died for you, built the country for you, built the dams that provide your electricity, the roads systems you drive on, the railroads that bring your goods to market, built you nuclear arsenal,built you military ( yes, the Navy was built before we were a country), your internet and even the computer you write such an ignorant post on.

[stormerF69]

When the President of the United States refuses to enforce the laws he took an oath to uphold for political votes it makes the US look weak in the eyes of the world. Without laws the corrupt would rule and even the Mexicans would not like that.

[reality_sanity]

Underfunding of enforcement efforts for decades require partial enforcement. President Obama is deporting more illegals even though the program is underfunded than any of his predecessors. Stormer-- do you advocate returning to past policies of deporting less illegals or are you ready to provide the trillion dollars and 10 years necessary according to ICE (under Bush) to clean up the existing problem?

[realist2010]

When Americans fail to use common sense, it is a far greater threat to it's reputation. See Marco Rubio's plan to do the same.

[robert1129]

I watched the entire speech. Romney simply made no impression on hundreds of attendees whose contintuency includes millions of hispanic voters. He committed himself to nothing specific. It would have been much better for him had he not made the speech.

My take is that Obama's people listened and recorded this speech and by now have dissected it 100%. In his turn today, I expect Obama to take Romney to the woodshed and gain several standing ovations while he is doing so.

[55minus5]

Robert, in a short run, indeed, it would have been much better for him had he not made the speech. However, he cannot hide by saying nothing. And there is the trouble.

[Jhihmoac]

What would you expect from someone who has more "flip-flops" than in a Jersey Girl's closet?

[55minus5]

He can't decide anything. If he wins (I doubt that, though), it will be a pitiful and dangerous tragicomedy.

[occupy_cbs]

Sherry with America's Voice said, Romney "he won't offer up details and firmly commit."



Of course not, he's the plastic man, mannequin mitt, who simply cannot give details or specifics on anything -- completely void of leadership.

[diamondblue]

Wow! This is really amazing. Romney thinks he can just sell us a bunch of BS and expect us to buy it. (I really don't know how he made it as a business man because he couldn't sell me anything). And he should know by now that we don't trust or believe his sorry lying behind because he has a "forked tongue" like the snake. I wish that there was some way that every time Romney has to give a speech, someone could be there in the background rolling the clip of him where he's somewhere else saying the exact opposite. I mean, they do something similar every night on various news networks except Fox (and they don't count because Fox doesn't have anyone credible on that network). I believe Romney thinks his "superior" intelligence will allow him to razzle and dazzle us with a lot of words that mean absolutely nothing and we will fall for it. He was out there lying once again today when he spoke to a largely Hispanic audience telling them that Obama never tried to pass a bill on immigration. It was a huge whopper and we have the tape to prove it. The Dems actually did pass the Dream Act but when it went to t the senate for a vote, the Republicans filibustered it. Now here they are once again, caught lying. They really must must believe we are all either just stupid or have very short memories. Word to the wise Romney, we want more than "I'll do this and I'll do that just trust me" with no explanation of exactly what you will do and how you will do it. What? Are we supposed to just take your word on it? You should lay off the glue. You're a freakin Republican!!! We will never just take a republicans word on anything ever again. Obama will win by 5 points in November.

[Deathlimits]

Romney- One Big Ass Mistake America.

[stormerF69]

Like a rabbit could do a better job than Obama has.

[abby_del_abbey]

First, Romney will tell an audience almost anything to get votes. But Romney won't specify anything because deep in his heart he really doesn't care about anyone but the 1% and what they want.

[Deathlimits]

I've noticed that all Republicans have this issue. I've tried contacting my local Representatives and they don't bother to answer unless you talk about something they agree with. They have no leadership and no guts.

[AttyFAM]

The party of NIX.