Rick Perry Apologizes Over Immigration, In-State Tuition GOP Debate Comments

Texas Gov. Rick Perry apologized in an interview with Newsmax Wednesday for saying that opponents of providing in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants do not "have a heart."

During the Fox News/Google GOP primary debate in Orlando, Fla. last week, Perry said, "If you say that we should not educate children who have come into our state for no other reason than they’ve been brought there by no fault of their own, I don’t think you have a heart."

Wednesday morning, Chuck Todd asked Perry Communications Director Ray Sullivan on MSNBC's "The Daily Rundown" whether the governor regretted his remarks. "No," Sullivan replied. "The fact of the matter is that the state of Texas does not subsidize. Every student in Texas who is a resident for three years, who's graduated from a Texas high school, and who is admitted to college can pay in-state tuition. This is a residency issue. These are Texas students; kids who have been here for a long time."

However, in the interview with Newsmax, Perry sounded apologetic. "Well I probably chose a poor word to explain that. For people who don't want their state to be giving tuition to illegal aliens, illegal immigrants, that's their call, and I respect that."

He added, "I was probably a bit over-passionate by using that word, and it was inappropriate."

Perry's Republican rivals, including Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, have seized on his comments. Romney Senior Adviser Eric Fehrnstrom said on MSNBC's "Daily Rundown," "When Mitt Romney was governor, the Democrats in his legislature sent him a bill to provide in-state tuition to illegal immigrants. Gov. Romney vetoed that bill. When that same bill was sent to Rick Perry, he signed it."

The 2001 law passed with only one dissenting vote in the Texas House and three in the Senate. Nobody testified against the bill. Just over 12,000 undocumented immigrants received in-state tuition in 2009.

Perry opposes a federal version of the DREAM Act, but says that states like Texas can choose whether to give undocumented immigrants in the state the same tuition breaks as other residents.

WATCH Rick Perry's comments about immigration at last week's GOP primary debate:

Comments

[wordsalad12]

01:51 AM on 10/03/2011

aw, this is a sad and mangled campaign, this is.

[Sally Barns]

03:45 PM on 09/30/2011

Did Rick Perry really stand up for book banning in a speech the other day? I need someone to check that for me, it isn't showing up online, but someone in a Christian chat room I go to was talking about how he;s coming out against Keeley Thomson: Demon Girl?

I know it's the new big thing to hate, but it seems like a risky political move. Christians aren't his prime voting block, are they?

If you have info, please share.

All I know is that the book is young adult and comes out on October first from orange Cat Publishing and that it's an e-book, available in school libraries in some places.

[Michael Legnon]

08:10 AM on 09/30/2011

Although I am NOT, repeat, NOT a fan of Perry's or the GOP in general, I find his immigration stance for these children not necessarily a bad thing, and I liked the fact he was impassioned about it.

[llyd wlsh]

10:32 PM on 09/29/2011

rick, you are inappropriate....america doesn't want your bs polluting our country....stay in texas or do us all a favor and personally secede from the union....texas can stay but you must go

[JustABriefThought]

08:11 PM on 09/29/2011

Perry seems to be slapping himself silly doing the backstroke. It means little to the GOPPIE minions who vote R without thinking.

[Ded Peasant]

06:42 PM on 09/29/2011

Here's the problem Ricky, the other candidates are going to keep smacking you with the same things until you come up with a viable defense...Since you haven't plan on hearing the same issues like an old song you can't get out of your head.

[Ded Peasant]

06:38 PM on 09/29/2011

Honestly does it still matter what Ricky has to say or think? Can't we move on to people who actually have a chance?

[Ded Peasant]

06:35 PM on 09/29/2011

If you sneak into a country and you have the hutzpa to apply at the schools, Dude do yourself a favor and photocopy one of the degrees you see on the offices you clean. White out the name and add yours. Show it to your empoyers. Sure it's not legal, but who are you to follow simple laws.

[Ded Peasant]

06:34 PM on 09/29/2011

Here's the thing. Illegals are getting student Loan's, we know they have no intention of paying back. It's creating a bubble. Sound familiar?

[Ded Peasant]

06:30 PM on 09/29/2011

Do you want the lathino vote or don't you...but make up your mind. They don't like flip floppers.

[phoebequeen]

06:00 PM on 09/29/2011

The only reason why he back peddled on this, is because of the republican focus group, led by Frank Lutz, voted that remark to be the most offensive of the night. He is gonna need a bigger shovel.

[mrm3]

05:51 PM on 09/29/2011

He apologized on the one thing he's ever said that is true!!!!!

[BligeTheVOTE]

05:42 PM on 09/29/2011

GOP voters have finally gotten sensible and they quit chasing after every flavor of the month, Re-Tread Romney...he'll grow on you....http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-8/1210139/Mitts.jpg

[Carla Ownwomon]

05:10 PM on 09/29/2011

How sad that he has the need to apologize to the rest of his heartless wrongwinger teabagers for actually showing that in the moment he said that, he had a teeny tiny itty bitty teensy bit of a heart. Maybe it was just a slip of the tongue and he really has no heart at all.

[Cynth]

05:08 PM on 09/29/2011

He's apologizing for the wrong thing. He pretty much had it right the first time.