Christie finally gives some insight into his immigration policy
By Matt Arco | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on April 17, 2015 at 6:40 PM, updated April 17, 2015 at 8:08 PM
NASHUA, N.H. — Gov. Chris Christie said on Friday he doesn't support building a wall across the nation's border to crack down on immigrants entertaining the country illegally.
The governor, speaking to New Hampshire residents during a Republican Party summit, has begun opening up on the topic of immigration as he edges closer to a likely 2016 presidential campaign. Christie advocated sealing the border without a coast-to-coast wall, cracking down on employers who hire unauthorized immigrants and not relying on people already here to "self deport."
Hearing the governor's thoughts on immigration has been a new phenomenon. Christie has, up to this point, largely balked from discussing immigration policy and immigration reform.
But when residents in New Hampshire, which holds the nation's first presidential primary, ask, Christie answers.
"The reason people come here is ... to work," said Christie.
He argued officials need to clamp down on employers who hire unauthorized immigrants after "we setup a fair system" for people to enter the country legally.
The governor offered two other tidbits: He's "not one who's for building a wall from one end to the other" and he's "not someone who believes that for the people who are already here that they're going to self deport."
The latter was a talking point former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney used during his last campaign for the White House.
There are few topics more controversial at the moment than immigration reform, but Christie had largely refused to enter the fray until speaking with New Hampshire voters. During a trade mission to Mexico, Christie had a simple response for reporters pressing him to discuss his ideas to solve the country's flawed immigration system: I won't answer the question unless I'm running for president.
"I understand everybody wants to start a campaign that I even haven't decided I want to be in right now. I'm just not going to do it. I won't have anything to say on immigration unless, and until, I become a candidate for the president of the United States," he said. Months later during a meeting of Republican governors in Florida, Christie doubled down: "You guys are trying to get me to take positions that I might take if and when I ever become a candidate for president," Christie said. "If I were to run for president I would then articulate (my position)."
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