Immigration: GOP Candidates Finally Talk About It

WASHINGTON -- Republican presidential candidates spent 10 minutes talking about immigration during the Wednesday debate, finally speaking out on an issue they have been doing their best to avoid for the past several months.

Although many attempted to focus narrowly on border security, presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman took a different tack, almost praising then-President Ronald Reagan for signing a mass amnesty for undocumented immigrants in 1986.

Huntsman said Reagan had recognized "a human issue, and I hope that all of us as we deal with this immigration issue will always see it as an issue that revolves around real human beings."

He said he believes undocumented immigrants should be "punished in some fashion," but believes legal immigration must be reformed to prevent people from coming into the country without documents.

"Let's not lose sight of the fact that our legal immigration system is broken," Huntsman said. "If we want to do something about attracting brain power to this country ... we need to focus as much on legal immigration as possible."

Other candidates stuck closer to the script, speaking in vague terms about the need to tighten border security rather than going into more depth about how to handle undocumented immigration.

Pressed twice on how she would deal with the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants currently in the United States, Rep. Michele Bachmann declined to answer, instead focusing on the need to secure the border first. Once the border situation is "resolved," she hinted she might take a case-by-case approach to dealing with undocumented immigrants living in the country.

"It is sequential and it depends upon where they live, how long they have been there, if they have a criminal record, all of those things need to be taken into account," she said.

Bachmann noted that she had met with voters in Miami -- the home of many Cuban Americans, who face some different immigration issues than those confronting Latinos from other countries -- who said they support tougher crackdowns on undocumented immigrants.

"The Hispanic American community wants us to stop giving taxpayer-subsidized benefits to illegal immigrants and wants us to stop giving taxpayer-subsidized benefits to their children as well," said Bachmann.

Rick Perry, the governor of Texas and arguably the Republican candidate least hawkish on immigration enforcement, said he wants to see more boots on the ground at the border, which already has its highest troop levels on record. Like most other candidates, he said the border must be protected before any other steps can be taken on immigration.

"You can secure the border, and then at that particular point in time you can have an intellectually appropriate discussion about immigration reform," Perry said. "It is not safe on that border," he added.

 

 

Comments

[Animal53]

09:42 PM on 10/29/2011

I was stationed in Germany and I tried my best to be respectful while there. One newbie went with me to a bar one night and I warned him to be respectful etc. He started trouble and we ended getting told not to come back. I reminded him that we were in their country and not the US. Now, illegal immigration is where the problem lies here. Those who abide by the laws are fine as far as I am concerned. The other part of that problem is people wanting to hand over benefits to the illegals where citizens have to struggle and fight for them. Especially those who paid their taxes and earned them. There are so many ways that illegal immigration is a huge drain to our tax dollars. Like storing the bodies of those who die crossing the border illegaly. Then there are other ways that I know of from my prior career that a good many arent aware of. By building the border fence like they are now, it is working. It needs to be finished but the local governments are taking donations to finish it. The federal government wont.

[theshadowdo]

02:21 PM on 10/18/2011

The issue is this: we spend billions of billions of dollars trying to enforce immigration, human sex trade traffic and drug laws that cannot be enforced. Think of all the money we spend on trying to keep undocumented workers out, trying to keep drugs from crossing our borders, trying to slow down the traffic in human beings that are slaves to the sex trade. We need to stop this stupidity by doing the following: create a national database at our border with a 5 point id system (photograph, voiceprint, eyeprint, dna, and fingerprint) issue anyone who wants to come to the US to work a guest passport and a social security number and require they pay Social Security into the system; we need to legalize marijuana, cocaine and heroin and apply a vice tax for those products; we need to legalize prostitution, apply a vice tax and require registration of all sex trade workers.

[Taco Lopez]

08:40 PM on 09/17/2011

Under the skin we are all the same color, I donate blood 6 times a year as I am a universal donor.... you get hurt and you need blood you going to ask if its a white mans blood?

[chtobo]

09:51 PM on 09/15/2011

Huntsman said Reagan had recognized "a human issue, and I hope that all of us as we deal with this immigration issue will always see it as an issue that revolves around real human beings."

I know for some of you is hard, but put this in your brain cell, do not think anything else --really important-- just BE YOU-- and try to understand, WE are ALL HUMANS.

[Mark Lindley]

08:31 PM on 09/16/2011

Yes, and "humans" break laws and are accountable for their actions by paying the price of not following the law.

[martinitsdone]

05:07 PM on 09/14/2011

The most UNPOPULAR TOURIST in over 67% of the International Travel Agencies polled - The American - Why? most common written comment - "They expect or demand to have things like they are in their country as if they're bringing their country with them."
You say that about an Illegal/Improperly Doc'd immigrant here, you're immediately labeled Racist/Bigot !

[mkspence]

05:46 PM on 09/15/2011

Illegals from Mexico come here because they are fleeing a racist country. How many "white" Mexicans, AKA full-blooded Spaniards do you see pushing lawn mowers? More often that not, the person pushing the lawn mower is a "mestizo" or a mixed race person.

How many white Mexicans do you see working as maids in motels? What you see is usually an Aztec.

How many white Mexicans suffocate in trunks of cars trying to cross the border? When the Border Patrol finds someone in a car trunk, that person is a Mayan.

Whites are 9% of the population in Mexico and they control over 90% of the country's wealth. The richest man in the world is a Mexican - a white Mexican

[martinitsdone]

06:54 PM on 09/15/2011

So why don't YOU go down there ? Organize THEM ! And make it so WE are not supporting THEM via a system THEY WISH TO HAVE NO PART OF OR PARTICIPATE IN EXCEPT AS USERS AND ABUSERS ! In every conversation I've ever heard and been part of with Mexican Illegal/Improperly Doc'd Immigrants NOT ONCE WAS THE DESIRE OR GOAL, TO BECOME AN AMERICAN CITIZEN !

[Mark Lindley]

08:33 PM on 09/16/2011

So what? The majority of U.S. citizens are white also. Racism still abounds in this country also and it isn't only whites that are racists.

[Avatar73]

12:34 AM on 09/11/2011

I agree with Ron Paul.

[lexusman1938]

11:46 AM on 09/10/2011

If something is not done soon, we will no longer be known as the United States of America, land of the free, and home of the brave. All previous immigrants worked so hard to join us in this quest.
The immigrant of today only wants to"take" from us. They want to change our laws to make it work for just them. How do they think this country can continue to be? We are already overridden with debt just like the country they came from. It didn't work in your country and it surely is NOT going to continue here in America!

[sackman]

07:20 PM on 09/11/2011

Try to look at the whole area as one large country............

[BIGTERRA]

10:17 AM on 09/10/2011

How many signs in English does one see in Germany, France, Columbia or any other country that is not Engish speaking? Looked at another way, if you wanted to live in Germany, you would need to learn German, and the same goes for any other non-English speaking country! Then there's the United States where signs, documents and a multitude of other things are in Spanish as well as English. Why? If someone wants to immigrate to this country as my parents did (legally) they must learn English. No English, no job, no driver's license, no benefits and no staying here. A first step in this direction is to have a law passed that English is our national language. Then all signs and legal documents must be in English and NO other language! Additionally, any one who direspects our flag, if a legal immigrant, should have his/her U.S. citizenship revoked and be deported to his/her original country. In the case of a native born citizen, 5 years of prision tiime should be a light sentance with a maximum of 50 years in prision. Harsh? Maybe so, but such actions would restore respect for our country and our flag. And let's get rid of this "politaclly correct" and "undocumented worker" crap!

[KGP]

02:37 PM on 09/12/2011

Does having another language on signs really inconvenience you that much? Did you ever think that having things written in other languages might actually help non-English speakers learn English?

What about the people from Quebec who come here and can't speak English? In the area I live in it's prevalent but instead of ostracizing them I help them. The same goes with people from Latin-American countries.

I live in an area heavily populated with people of hispanic descent and I took it upon myself to learn their language so I can communicate with them. Most of them appreciate it and ask for help pronouncing certain words, saying phrases in English.

You sound like such a bigot you're just not a big enough person to come out and say it.

[BIGTERRA]

03:59 PM on 09/12/2011

I am so happy you help people from other countries that are here legally. I do as well since I speak several languages. My mother and father were LEGAL immigrants to this country, and it took them quite a while to come here, and one of the first things they did when they got here was to learn English! I am all for LEGAL immigration, but I feel anyone here illegally should be immediatly deported. That means EVERYONE ILLEGAL.

If you mean by the term "bigot" someone who is dedicated to his principles (one of the several definitions of bigot) then, yes, I am a bigot for, among other things I believe the laws of our country must be obeyed - unlike Eric Holder and Obama who unilatterly declare laws unconstitutional and refuse to enforce them, As a bigot, I believe that an immigrant in this country, even if a citizen of this country, that expresses loyalty to another country, should be stripped of his/her citizenship and be deported. After all if that other country is so much better than this one such a person should live in the country to which he/she is loyal.

You appear to be one of those hypocritical libs that sees racism everywhere. Actually it's just as raciest to vote FOR someone because of their color as it is to vote AGAINST someone because of their color. Why don't you chew on that for a while?

[BIGTERRA]

05:55 PM on 09/12/2011

Some other thoughts about your snide remarks...There is a great difference between someone who comes to vist our country from another country and someone who wishes to live here, Thus your logic (and probably your mind) is twisted.

I hope the immigrants you communicate with are here legally. If they are not and you fail to report them, you, too, are guilty of a crima. Or are you like Obama and his henchman, Eric Holder, who pick and choose which laws to obey and enforce and which laws to ignore?

[slinkybro]

10:03 PM on 09/09/2011

Is it me, or is tha LatinoVoice really an illegal immigrant voice?

[specultr]

03:28 PM on 09/11/2011

It's a forum that attracts the mostly non-Latinos to vent on anti-Latino subjects. The worst dregs of US society enjoy coming here to spread hate.

[Mark Lindley]

08:37 PM on 09/16/2011

What is an anti-Latino subject? Where is this hate you speak of?

[sackman]

07:22 PM on 09/11/2011

We in the Latin community are all in this together, Wake up and smell the coffee

[mkspence]

05:48 PM on 09/15/2011

There's no diversity among thinking in Latinos?

[Mark Lindley]

08:37 PM on 09/16/2011

How about considering yourself a part of the American community instead?

[22Keys]

05:18 PM on 09/09/2011

"Racists", "Xenophobic", "Bigot" etc. these are all prejorative terms that are hurled at people who believe in a world with borders. How did we find ourselves in this situation? Japan is never criticized for their highly restrictive (a.k.a sane) immigration policies. People that believe in a world without borders are very naive. I used to swallow this stuff whole at U.C.L.A. Then I realized all my highly intelligent immigrant classmates are depriving their homelands of their talents.

[BIGTERRA]

10:26 AM on 09/10/2011

Wouldn't it be interesting if the immigration laws of the illegal's country applied to Illegal immigrants caught here? In other words if an illegal immigrant from France is caught, the French immigration laws would apply, if the illegal immigrant is from China, Chinese immigration laws would be used, if the illegal immigrant is from Mexcico, Mexcican immigration llaws would be enforced and so on. If this were done and well publicised, I believe illegal immigration would be nil.

[sackman]

07:24 PM on 09/11/2011

Its not interesting, Its stupid . Dream on

[Viper1st]

09:32 AM on 09/09/2011

What's so hard & complex about solving the illegal immigration problem?

11.2 million illegals becoming Naturalized U.S. Citizens ~ simple

It's up to the 11.2 million illegals to make it happen ~ no one else

[Mark Lindley]

11:02 AM on 09/11/2011

Why should we make citizens out of illegal immigration lawbreakers? We have quotas for legal immigration. Doing that negates the senisibility of having quotas.

[sackman]

07:27 PM on 09/11/2011

You want illegal OK, killing off the native population to enrich yourself, is illegal...

[Mark Lindley]

08:39 PM on 09/16/2011

These illegals are already citizens of their own homeland. We shoud never reward immigration lawbreakers with our citizenship. We don't need these people here. We have millions of Americans out of work and dwindling resources.

[Contact1972]

08:43 PM on 09/08/2011

Whatever they come up with it MUST include GLBT's in it.

[slinkybro]

10:00 PM on 09/09/2011

Don't forget the Qs.

[Contact1972]

12:48 AM on 09/10/2011

Certainly.

[whauden2003]

05:48 PM on 09/08/2011

3000 Mexicans sneak into this country "illegaly" every day. Something needs to be done about this. Im not a Republican, or a Tea party member, just a concerned citizen worried about the future of America.

[lshaft]

11:32 PM on 09/08/2011

Why is the Mexicans have to "sneak in" while the Canadians just "walk in" as they please??? No complaints there, huh???

[Jason Welks]

02:45 AM on 09/09/2011

Canadians speak english, theres not a mass migration problem or problem with them taking american benefits. If our response to this is that im racist or saying they dont speak english then that means u think im racist to 5.7 billion ppl in the world which im not. These arent PHD doctors coming in illegally its ppl who want a free rude

[BIGTERRA]

10:28 AM on 09/10/2011

English should be our official national language. All signs and legel documents should be in English ONLY!

[Estrella25]

03:00 AM on 09/09/2011

You sound not only sound like a Republican, you sound like a minuteman!

[Contact1972]

12:50 AM on 09/10/2011

Theres a difference?

[Mark Lindley]

08:42 PM on 09/16/2011

Good then they must be for the enforcement and respect for our immigration laws. That is a bad thing?

[methnkng]

04:04 PM on 09/08/2011

Sounds like they all support amnesty which is not surprising as they represent the rich who want the flow of cheap illegal labor to continue and amnesty will guarantee that.

[Texas rebel]

03:45 PM on 09/08/2011

"The Hispanic American community wants us to stop giving taxpayer-subsidized benefits to illegal immigrants and wants us to stop giving taxpayer-subsidized benefits to their children as well," said Bachmann.

Along with the majority of non hispanic American citizens.

[Estrella25]

03:10 AM on 09/09/2011

As a Hispanic-American, I absolutely don't agree with the claims that immigrants take so many resources. How come they never show any statistics and their sources? Why don't they show the BILLIONS of dollars that go unclaimed to Social Security and from the illegals paychecks, money that can not be claim back and pays mainly for our retirees. What about that?
I am sick and tired of the typical Republican propaganda that scapegoats on immigrants to brain-wash mainstream americans who watch FOX all day long and who sit at home bashing on illegals while collecting unemployment and other benefits...get real!

[loveis22984]

07:58 AM on 09/09/2011

You must be an immigrant, Fox is not mainstream news, most watched is their claim. Is it true, probably, I watch it all the time so that I can laugh at them.

[Mark Lindley]

11:08 AM on 09/11/2011

The subject isn't immigrants but illegal aliens. Learn to know the difference. There are many viable statistics out there that illegals are a net negative to our country. Doesn't matter anyway. The rule of law is what counts. Americans are quite capable of understanding our rights to having immingration laws and our right to enforce them without listening to Fox or any other media source.

Most Americans are not sitting at home and collecting unemployment benefits either at least not by choice. So stop demonizing Americans to feed your anti-American, pro-illegal agenda.