Hispanics hear Romney's immigration plan
Hispanics hear Romney's immigration plan
U.S. News
United Press International
Published: Sept. 17, 2012 at 5:28 PM
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- In an appeal to Hispanic voters Monday, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney outlined his immigration plan to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Romney, speaking at the chamber's convention in Los Angeles, blamed both parties for failing to fix the country's immigration system.
Romney is trying to woo a chunk of the Hispanic vote, which swung widely for Obama in the 2008 presidential election and viewed as critical in this election cycle.
He reminded the organization that Obama as a candidate in 2008 said one of his top priorities would be to fix during his first year in office.
"Despite his party having majorities in both house of Congress, the president never even offered up a bill," Romney said. "Like so many issues confronting our nation, when it comes to immigration, politics has been put ahead of people for too long."
Romney pledged to work with both parties fix immigration.
"We will never achieve a legal immigration system that is fair and efficient if we do not first get control of our borders," he said. "I believe we can all agree that what we need are fair and enforceable immigration laws that will stem the flow of illegal immigration, while strengthening legal immigration."
If someone gets an advanced degree, "I want them to stay here, so I'd staple a green card to their diploma," Romney said.
He also said he'd revamp the temporary worker visa programs to simplify it for employers and would simplify the employment verification system and penalize any employer found breaking the rules.
"I will pursue permanent immigration reform," Romney said, "I will start by ensuring that those who serve in our military have the opportunity to become permanent legal residents in the country they fought to defend. Those who risked their lives in defense of America have earned the right to make their life in America."
He also placed blame for double-digit unemployment among Hispanics at Obama's feet.
Romney said no one was exempt from the pain of 8.1-percent unemployment, but "over 2 million more Hispanics are living in poverty today than the day President Obama took office."
"[W]e must cut the deficit and put America on track to a balanced budget," he said. "I believe that it is immoral for us to continue to spend more than we take in, to pass massive debts on to our children."
He repeated his pledge from the Republican National Convention that a Romney administration would create 12 million jobs by the end of his first term.
He said many Hispanics sacrificed to build the country and its economy but now "those sacrifices are being squandered by a president who cannot stop spending."
"I know how to balance budgets," Romney said. "We balanced our budget in my business, and at the Olympics, and every year in my state."
He pledged to put the federal government on a path to a balanced by budget by eliminating programs that are not "absolutely essential," cutting subsidies, and sending programs "that have been growing uncontrollably fast back to the states" where he would limit their funding to the rate of inflation, or in the case of Medicaid, to inflation plus 1 percent.
He said he would improve efficiency in Washington, in part, reducing the number of federal employees through attrition and aligning the government payroll to the private sector.
Obama believes that government can do a better job than its citizens, Romney said.
"I believe you can do a better job than government," he said. "I believe that you, and that your dreams and freedoms, will build a stronger future for all of us, and for our children."
Hispanics hear Romney's immigration plan - UPI.com
Romney stands his ground on immigration, health care and economy
Romney stands his ground on immigration, health care and economy
nbclatino.com
by Sandra Lilley, @sandralilley
5:42 pm on 09/17/2012
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Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney spoke to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce this afternoon in Los Angeles, saying he was convinced the Republican party “is the rightful home of Hispanic Americans.” Romney added he was he was proud of representing the party of Latinos such as Governors Susana Martinez and Brian Sandoval, Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuño, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Tea Party Senate candidate Ted Cruz. He did not shy away, however, from reaffirming his opposition to Obama’s deferred action program, popular among U.S. Latinos. Romney said he would propose a Dream Act for those who serve in the military, omitting the component on Dreamers attending college.
“Instead of playing immigration politics with these children, I will pursue permanent immigration reform, and I will start by ensuring that those who serve in our military have the opportunity to become permanent legal residents of the country they fought to defend,” said Romney. He said, however he opposes amnesty, and will establish an employment verification system and work to control the border. Romney added he would structure the temporary guest worker program to meet employer needs and ensure green cards for those who pursue an advanced degree.
The majority of Romney’s speech, however, focused on his economic platform. Saying Latinos had been especially hard hit by the economy, Romney blasted the Obama administration, stating that Hispanic unemployment is over 10 percent and there are two million more Latinos living in poverty. “In 2008, candidate Obama promised us limitless hope. What we got instead is a world where hope has painful limits – limits that make it harder to start a business, to grow a business, or to find a job,” Romney said.
Romney then outlined a five-point plan to grow the economy: “take advantage of our energy resources, fix our schools, open more trade, cut the deficit, and champion small business.” Romney stressed school choice for low-income and special ed students, increased trade to Latin America, and lowering taxes.
Romney also said he would repeal Obamacare. ”Obamacare will replace consumer choice with government choice,” saying that three-quarters of U.S. Chamber of Commerce members said they are less likely to hire people because of Obamacare. ”I will repeal and replace Obamacare with reforms that increase choice,” he said. Romney also promised to cut the deficit by reducing federal spending by $500 billion, including cuts in transportation, legal services, and capping Medicaid to the rate of inflation plus one percent.
Two Latino Democratic congressmen, Charles Gonzalez and Xavier Becerra, held a conference call to refute Romney’s remarks.
“Once again he makes it clear that he meant what he said about vetoing the Dream Act, because for him the Dream Act is tantamount to amnesty,” said Congressman Becerra. Becerra also criticized Romney’s comments about cutting legal services. ”Legal services are the only lifeline low-income families have, when they are one or two paychecks away from paying their mortgage,” he said.
Former Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, one of the Juntos con Romney co-chairs, defended Governor Romney’s remarks on immigration. ”He’s put forth a serious plan to strengthen our legal immigration system bring immediate families together kept apart by government red tape, and reward those who serve our country honorably with legal residency.”
And Hector Barreto Jr, who headed the Small Business Administration under George W. Bush, said to the crowd of Hispanic business owners and entrepreneurs that Romney is a “true champion of small business” who can provide relief to 3 million Latino businesses.
Romney stands his ground on immigration, health care and economy
Romney addresses U.S. Hispanic Chamber convention
Romney addresses U.S. Hispanic Chamber convention
wavenewspapers.com
By Wave Wire Services
Posted: Monday, September 17, 2012 2:34 pm
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Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney addresses the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's national convention Thursday at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in downtown Los Angeles
With the GOP trailing badly among Latino voters, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney brought his campaign to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s 33rd annual national convention in downtown Los Angeles Monday, outlining his plans for jump-starting the American economy by supporting businesses.
“My plan is premised on the conviction that it is freedom that drives our economy — that free people, creating free enterprises, is what creates good jobs with good wages,” Romney said. “Government supports the job creators, but it cannot take their place.”
Romney detailed five steps he would take as president to create 12 million jobs and raise salaries, including capitalizing on North American energy resources to achieve energy independence, bolstering the education system and slashing the national deficit.
“I will put the federal government on a track to a balanced budget by eliminating programs that are not absolutely essential and cutting federal subsidies for things like Amtrak, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Legal Services Corporation and the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities,” he said. “I like some of these things but we just can’t afford them. In fact, my test is this — is the program so critical that it is worth borrowing money from China to pay for it?”
Romney also touched on the issue of immigration, saying he would prioritize controlling the borders and making the system “more simple and transparent.”
He said he opposes “amnesty” for undocumented immigrants, “because amnesty will make it harder, not easier to strengthen our legal immigration system.”
Several hours before Romney’s appearance, some local Hispanic elected officials lashed out at Romney’s stances on the economy and issues impacting the Latino population.
“Regardless of what Mr. Romney may choose to say in that room, the record is clear that the Romney-Ryan ticket is a clear pathway back to the failed policies that caused the worst financial crisis in generations,” Assembly Speaker John Perez, D-Los Angeles, said.
City Councilman Ed Reyes added, “We know that Romney is on the wrong side of every issue that’s important to the Hispanic community.”
The chamber’s convention “provides an important forum for Governor Romney to address key economic issues that directly impact the country’s three million Hispanic-owned businesses,” said Nina Vaca, the chamber’s chairman of the board.
Romney’s attendance “demonstrates the important role that Hispanic business plays in our national political conversation,” said Javier Palomarez, the chamber’s president and CEO.
The chamber invites the Democratic and Republican nominees for each presidential campaign to address its national convention. President Barack Obama will not be addressing the four-day convention, which concludes Tuesday.
He spoke at campaign events Monday in Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio.
The chamber, the umbrella organization for more than 200 local Hispanic chambers in the United States and Puerto Rico, bills itself as actively promoting the economic growth and development of Latino entrepreneurs.
Romney’s appearance coincided with his campaign’s release of two new television ads.
In a new 30-second commercial, Romney calls for trade policies that “crack down on cheaters like China” and for opening new markets, balancing the budget, cutting the deficit, reducing spending, and having “tax policies, regulations and health care policies that help small business.”
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk announced Monday that the U.S. has requested dispute settlement consultations with China at the World Trade Organization concerning China’s auto and auto parts “export base” subsidy program, which he says appears to provide export subsidies prohibited under WTO rules.
Romney called the request for dispute settlement consultations “too little, too late for American businesses and middle class families.”
“President Obama’s credibility on this issue has long since vanished,” Romney said. “I will not wait until the last months of my presidency to stand up to China, or do so only when votes are at stake. From day one, I will pursue a comprehensive strategy to confront China’s unfair trade practice and ensure a level playing field where our businesses can compete and win.”
A second commercial, titled “Failing American Families,” cites recent Census Bureau data about the decline in median family incomes since Obama took office and discusses the ever-burgeoning national debt.
“We have a moral responsibility not to spend more than we take in. We can’t keep buying and spending and passing on debts to our kids. And I’ll stop it,” Romney says in the ad.
Polls have shown the Republicans far behind the Democrats with Latino voters — about 70 percent versus 25 percent. Republican strategists have no hope of overcoming that deficit but hope to cut the Democrats’ lead, particularly in battleground states.
The Obama campaign Monday released a nearly two-minute Internet video mocking Romney’s efforts to win support from Latinos, calling it one of his “most implausible makeovers yet.”
The video shows Romney’s claiming during a Republican primary debate that illegal immigrants would voluntarily leave the United States — self-deport — after being unable to find jobs.
It also shows Romney’s pledges to repeal the health care legislation popularly known as Obamacare and veto the DREAM Act, which would give conditional permanent residence to illegal immigrants who arrived in the country as minors and met other requirements.
Romney addresses U.S. Hispanic Chamber convention - Los Angeles Wave: Election 2012: republican presidential candidate mitt romney, u.s. hispanic chamber of commerce, 33rd annual national convention, downtown los angeles, corporation for public broad
DREAM Act Supporters Rally Against Romney Speech In Downtown L.A.
DREAM Act Supporters Rally Against Romney Speech In Downtown L.A.
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DREAM Act supporters rally outside the J.W. Marriott building in downtown L.A. where Mitt Romney was scheduled to speak to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
neontommy.com
Danny Lee
Staff Reporter
September 17, 2012 | 7:15 p.m. PDT
While Mitt Romney was delivering his address to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Congress convention in Los Angeles Monday afternoon, a group of protesters wanted to shine the spotlight on the Republican presidential candidate's positions on immigration.
About 50 demonstrators gathered outside the L.A. Convention Center and marched up Figueroa Street toward the J.W. Marriott where Romney highlighted his economic plan to help small-business owners and chastised President Barack Obama for politicizing the immigration issue. Protesters chanted "Veto Romney," while some wore graduation gowns to show support for the DREAM Act, a bill that would provide conditional permanent residency to undocumented immigrants, but has stalled in the Republican-controlled House.
Pablo Reyes, the president of National Pursuit of DREAMs, an organization that seeks to spread awareness of the DREAM Act, took a semester off from attending the College of the Sequoias to spread word about the bill. The 21-year-old, who left the Mexican town of Morelia at age 13 to settle in Orlando, Fla., before moving to California, said he has applied for Obama's deferred action program allowing young undocumented immigrants to stay in the U.S.
Reyes, who hopes to attend Brescia University in Kentucky to study political science, said the purpose of the march was to expose Romney's "extreme views on immigration." He also criticized the GOP candidate's ambiguity over whether or not he would continue Obama's deferral program if elected president.
"Romney has promised to veto the DREAM Act," Reyes said. "He hasn't given us a concrete answer on deferred action."
The rally also attempted to shed light on LGBT members of the undocumented immigrant community.
"They have not only come out as undocumented, but also as gay," Reyes said. "We want to let them know that they're not alone and they let us know the same."
DREAM Team Los Angeles and Dream Action Coalition were among other organizations at the rally. During the Republican primary, Romney said that, if elected, he would veto the DREAM Act but has since softened his stance. He supports a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who serve in the military.
Demonstrator Maria Rodriguez said she is pursuing a credential to teach at the elementary school level. The student at spoke of the financial issues DREAMers encounter when trying to pay for college and apply for jobs.
"We can't work or get a better education and help our families," Rodriguez said.
The 18-year-old said she is "really scared" of what a Romney presidency would mean for Obama's executive order halting the deportation of young undocumented immigrants.
"If Romney goes into office, there's a high possibility that he might get rid of it. We are trying really hard to get Obama up there or make Romney change his stance on immigration," Rodriguez said.
Shouts of "No papers, no fear, immigrants are marching here" erupted as protesters marched in a circle outside the Marriott building. Some waved American flags, while others carried colorful posters depicting Romney as an anti-immigrant candidate.
The demonstrators came from L.A., the Central Valley, and even Arizona, which has found itself at the center of the immigration debate due to controversial legislation that has been pushed by lawmakers in that state.
Miguel Montalva of Orange County said Romney's views are out of touch with the immigrant community and only creates fear.
"Having the chance to work and use the skills you've learned along the way would be a huge burden off someone's back," he said.
Montalva has a master's degree in sociology but has had to turn down job opportunities because he doesn't have a work permit. The 27-year-old has applied for a deferment and said he wants Romney to "show his true colors" on immigration.
"A lot of his language de-humanizes the immigrant population," Montalva said. "It's so unclear where he lies on every issue. I'm not so sure I would trust him because someone who keeps switching his opinion back and forth is not the kind of person you want as president."
During his address, Romney issued remarks about how the ailing economy has adversely affected the Latino community.
“While national unemployment is 8.1 percent, Hispanic unemployment is over 10 percent. Over 2 million more Hispanics are living in poverty today than the day President Obama took office," Romney said.
With California solidly in Obama's corner, the speech served primarily as Romney's pitch to a crucial voting group he will need to compete in November battleground states like Colorado, Florida and Nevada.
Obama outpolled Romney 64 to 27 percent among Latino registered voters in a Gallup poll conducted around the time of the Republican National Convention in late August.
DREAM Act Supporters Rally Against Romney Speech In Downtown L.A. | Neon Tommy
As Romney speaks to U.S. Hispanic Chamber, Latino Obama supporters in Denver criticiz
As Romney speaks to U.S. Hispanic Chamber, Latino Obama supporters in Denver criticize his plans
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Former Denver Mayor Federico Peña speaks at an Obama campaign event Monday in northwest Denver. (John Ingold, The Denver Post)
By John Ingold
The Denver Post
Posted September 17, 2012, 6:01 pm MT
With Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney reaching out to Hispanic voters in Los Angeles Monday at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, prominent Latinos and Latinas gathered in northwest Denver for a press event to criticize Romney’s policy proposals. The event was organized by the Obama campaign, and — coming a couple hours before Romney spoke in Los Angeles — was intended as a prebuttal to Romney’s remarks.
In his speech to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber, Romney tried to persuade Hispanics to side with Republicans, saying, “[O]urs is the party of opportunity, the party that will restore America’s prosperity.”
“I am convinced that the Republican Party is the rightful home of Hispanic Americans,” he added later.
That, however, is not how prominent Denver Chicana activist Nita Gonzales sees it.
“Romney and Ryan are the most extreme ticket on immigration in a long time,” she said at the Obama event. “… Mitt Romney is on the wrong side of every issue important to our community.”
In his speech — coming during National Hispanic Heritage Month — Romney attacked Obama’s handling of the economy, noting that unemployment for Hispanics is at 10 percent in the U.S. On immigration, Romney said he believes a solution starts with gaining “control of our borders” and said he opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants currently in the U.S. “because amnesty will make it harder, not easier to strengthen our legal immigration system.”
“I want to preserve our heritage of robust legal immigration,” Romney said. “And I want to make sure that those who abide by the law and wait in line to immigrate here legally are not at a disadvantage.”
On Obama’s announcement that his administration would not pursue deportation against young people brought illegally as children to this country by their parents, Romney accused Obama of playing politics.
Gonzales, though, said the policy shows Obama “has not waited for a gridlocked Congress to act” to pass the DREAM Act — which would implement a similar policy. Former Denver Mayor Federico Peña asserted Obama’s policies are better for the economy and the Hispanic community and better for the country’s future prosperity.
“Today, our economy is better off,” Peña said in response to the frequent GOP criticism that the country has declined under Obama. “We are better off.”
Nationwide and in Colorado, Hispanics tilt heavily toward Obama in polls. In Colorado, for instance, a Denver Post poll found Hispanics break for Obama 57 percent to 38 percent.
Asked what Romney could do to make up ground with Hispanics, Peña had a terse reply: “It’s too late.”
Denver activists criticize Romney ahead of Hispanic Chamber speech
