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Self-deportation.
The brilliant idea was not Mitt Romney's. But ever since he introduced it as a viable solution to the country's broken immigration system, he's been getting all the credit.
Long before the Republican front-runner made it a tenet of his immigration policy, Daniel D. Portado, founder of Hispanics Against Liberal Takeover (HALTO), a "militant, self-deportation movement encouraging all minorities to leave the United States" was championing the cause in the early 1990s following the passage of anti-immigrant Prop.187 in California -- on the radio, to talking heads, even California's Governor Wilson adopted self-deportation as a solution.
Only it was a joke.
In an interview from 1996 with This American Life radio host Ira Glass, Daniel D. Portado is asked why he is still in California if his mission is to self-deport.
He replies, "Well, I am here to help everyone get out. I hope to look forward to the day where I will stand at the border and say, will the last Mexican out of California please turn out the lights? That will be me."
Political cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz, the creator of the satirical movement, talks to Rachel Maddow about the gift that keeps on giving.
I wonder if Daniel D. Portado -- aka. Mr. Alcaraz -- is receiving royalties from Mitt Romney's camp for the trademark?
He has already sent a Cease and Desist notice to Patriots for Self-Deportation for use of the word he coined. But more importantly, is he being considered for a cabinet post? Secretary D. Portado.
For more updates by the noted right-wing Hispanic Self-Deportationist: Daniel D. Portado's Twitter