Thread: Gingrich: Most illegal immigrants should leave, reapply to

Gingrich: Most illegal immigrants should leave, reapply to become citizens

By NBC’s Alex Moe

NAPLES, FL -- Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich defended his immigration policy after days of criticism from other GOP contenders – reiterating that he does not support amnesty -- on Friday night before his largest crowd yet on the campaign trail.

"I am not for amnesty for anyone. I am not for a path to citizenship for anybody who got here illegally," Gingrich told the crowd of roughly 750 people, many of whom were forced to stand in the hallway. "But I am for a path to legality for those people whose ties are so deeply into America that it would truly be tragic to try and rip their family apart."

The former House speaker, who is seen as one of the front-runners for the GOP nomination, has been taking some heat on his stance on immigration since Tuesday’s debate. After the debate some of his Republican rivals – Michele Bachmann and Mitt Romney – have accused Gingrich of supporting amnesty, which the speaker said Friday night was misinformed.

"It speaks badly of any candidate who would deliberately repeat something which they know is not true," Gingrich told the packed crowd inside a Naples Hilton ballroom. Later, he added, "Ironically, in the Reagan Library debate I think most of them actually agreed with me," on my immigration policy.

Gingrich wants to model his immigration plan for illegals already in the country on the WWII model of the Selective Service System program, which allowed local communities to decide who would be drafted for war. He noted that the program "really tried to take general policy and give it a human face."

"I think the vast majority [of illegal immigrants] will go home and should go home and then should reapply. I do not think anybody should be eligible for citizenship," the former speaker said to loud applause in Southwest Florida with his wife, Callista, sitting in the front row of the audience. "I am suggesting a certification of legality with no right to vote and no right to become an American citizen unless they go home and apply through the regular procedures back home and get in line behind everybody else who has obeyed the law and stayed back there."

Gingrich has been rapidly rising in the polls recently despite questions raised about his ties with Freddie Mac and now on his policy on illegal immigrants. Back in the summer months, many Republicans and pundits wrote off the former speaker after more than a dozen of his staff quit unexpectedly.

"Remember, I was supposed to be dead in June or July," Gingrich said. "One side of that is that for a long period of time, they didn’t pay any attention to me."

Gingrich and his wife are scheduled to sign books Saturday morning in Naples.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/20 ... e-citizens

"I am not for amnesty for anyone. I am not for a path to citizenship for anybody who got here illegally," Gingrich told the crowd of roughly 750 people, many of whom were forced to stand in the hallway. "But I am for a path to legality for those people whose ties are so deeply into America that it would truly be tragic to try and rip their family apart."

Legal status is not that different from citizenship since so many people fail to vote anyway. All illegals must be deported.

Newt : But I am for a path to legality for those people whose ties are so deeply into America that it would truly be tragic to try and rip their family apart." { After I voted for amnesty In 1986 to help all of the Illegals 25 years ago to to set down roots In the United States and raise their families here ! After I spent all of the time and effort to try and kill E-Verify In 1996 }

well they should vote you out as well
you & rest of them the only one I do like & would be the best
President is Bachmann
Im hear what she said & she is right as for all the other
I would not give you 2 cent for any other they are not for the American
from what I hear they are all what i would do if I was President
that the same thing Obama said . & what did we get a
kick In the ass . & the Illegal immigrants get the red carpet roll
out for them . who has jobs ?
& food stamp ? free Med care ?
& cell phone ?
should I go on
sure In hell Not us the American
NOamnesty Or Dream Act

"I am not for amnesty for anyone. I am not for a path to citizenship for anybody who got here illegally," Gingrich told the crowd of roughly 750 people, many of whom were forced to stand in the hallway. "But I am for a path to legality for those people whose ties are so deeply into America that it would truly be tragic to try and rip their family apart."

This idiot is speaking out of both sides of his mouth for goodness sakes! He’s starting to sound like Juan McCain! Gingrich is relying on emotion to make his case, and a horrible case at that! Notice the buzzwords,â€