McCain slams GOP foes on immigration
By Brian E. Crowley

Palm Beach Post Political Editor

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Sen. John McCain dismissed Mitt Romney's and Rudy Giuliani's opposition to proposed immigration reform Friday and chastised them for not offering their own proposals to deal with illegal immigration.

"If you think this is no good, this compromise that has been forged with the leadership of the president of the United States and conservatives and liberals in both parties, then what is your proposal that will pass the Congress of the United States?" McCain asked of his opponents in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.


A day earlier, Romney, speaking to reporters in Lakeland, said he opposed the U.S. Senate immigration bill because he believes it is unfair to legal immigrants who have "waited in line" for the chance to stay in this country.

And last week, Giuliani told reporters in Orlando that he does not support the current legislation because there is not a provision for a "tamper-proof" identification card and a national database to track immigrants.

The bill allows the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants to get legal status by paying fines and passing background checks. Heads of households also wouldbe required to return to their home country.

McCain said Friday that it could take eight years for an immigrant to win legal status.

McCain, the senior U.S. senator from Arizona, is the only one of the top three Republican candidates for president who supports the proposed legislation.

Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, and Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, have not offered any detailed plans for how they would reform immigration laws, a point that McCain sharply criticized Friday.

"It's the easiest thing in the world to say no to things," said McCain. "My job is to do the hard things."

McCain will be in Miami on June 4 to give a major speech on immigration.

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