Thread: Mitt Romney Says Immigration 'Dream Act' Would Get Veto From Him

huffingtonpost.com
Elise Foley
Posted: 12/31/11 07:29 PM ET



OTTUMWA, Iowa -- Mitt Romney said Saturday that he would veto the Dream Act, a bill that would provide legal status to some undocumented immigrants who entered the United States as children.

"The question is, if I were elected and Congress were to pass the Dream Act, would I veto it? And the answer is yes," said the candidate, speaking in Le Mars, Iowa.

But he added that he could support a system that offered legal status to people who served in the U.S. military. One provision of the Dream Act, which failed in the Senate when it last came up for a vote in December 2010, would allow some undocumented immigrants to work toward citizenship by joining the armed services for at least two years.

Undocumented immigrants are currently barred from serving in the military, although some do anyway. Only undocumented immigrants who entered the country under the age of 16, had clean criminal records and either attended college for at least two years or joined the military would be eligible for legal status under the bill.

Although the Dream Act once enjoyed considerable bipartisan support -- it was first introduced by Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah and Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois -- it has since been coined "amnesty," something of a death knell for immigration reform measures among Republicans.

Romney said he wants to take more steps to end unauthorized immigration into the country. He also took a dig at fellow candidate and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, though not by name, for a law Perry signed that allows some undocumented immigrants in Texas to receive in-state college tuition.

"For those who come here illegally, the idea of giving them in-state tuition credits or other special benefits I find to be contrary to the idea of a nation of law," Romney said. "If I'm the president of the United States, I want to end illegal immigration so that we can protect legal immigration."

Jon Ward contributed to this report.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...ington+Post%29

bostonglobe.com
By Matt Viser
Globe staff
January 01, 2012

LE MARS, Iowa – Mitt Romney, coming to a family diner in this self-proclaimed “Ice Cream Capital of the World,” said this afternoon that if he were elected president he would veto legislation that provides a pathway to citizenship for certain illegal residents.

“The answer is yes,” Romney said to a voter who asked whether he would veto the Dream Act if it gets passed by Congress under his watch.

Although the former Massachusetts governor has been critical of the proposed legislation in the past, he hadn’t said so explicitly that he would veto it. The issue is likely to be a theme of the general election, particularly in states with high Hispanic populations such as Nevada, Colorado, and Florida.

The Dream Act, which some Democrats have pushed unsuccessfully in Congress, would create a path to legal residency for youths who arrived before they turned 16; have lived in the United States for five consecutive years; and have no criminal record. In order to become citizens, they would have to graduate from high school or obtain a GED, complete two years in college or the military, and be under 35 years old.

Romney today distinguished between components of the proposal, however, saying that he supports allowing immigrants who serve in the military to become permanent residents.

“I’m delighted with the idea that people who come to this country and wish to serve in the military can be given a path to become permanent residents of this country,” he said. “Those who serve in our military and fulfill those requirements, I respect and acknowledge that path.”

An aide said Romney opposes other portions of the Dream Act that provide a pathway to residency through education.

He also opposes granting in-state tuition, or other benefits, to illegal immigrants.

“If I’m the president of the United States, I want to end illegal immigration so that we can protect legal immigration,” Romney said. “I like legal immigration. And so I will secure the border with a fence, make sure we have enough border patrol agents to secure that fence, and I will also crack on employers that hire people who are here illegally.”

Romney flew back to Iowa today after a brief trip to New Hampshire, preparing for the final sprint before Tuesday’s caucus vote in Iowa. He was joined by his youngest son, Craig, who introduced his father by telling a story of how competitive Romney is in the family’s annual tradition of holding a triathlon.

“My wife had just had a baby,” Craig Romney said. “She just had her second child about a month or two previously and she decided to go for it and compete in the race. All the boys had finished at that point and it was down to my wife and my dad over here.”

“I tripped her, I tripped her,” Mitt Romney joked from the side.

“He gave it a good kick and he beat her in the end,” his son added. “And he did almost die trying, by the way, he passed out in the lawn chair and we didn’t see him the rest of the day.”

Craig Romney sought to make a connection between the dedication of completing the triathlon and the work he would do in the White House.

“I changed the nature of the triathlon after that,” Mitt Romney said. “I didn’t like this idea that these were only swimming, biking and running. We had to add some sports. So now we have log sawing, nail hammering. We added some things I excel at so I don’t come in last every year.”

On the way to the event, Romney said, they pulled the bus over so he could get rocky road ice cream at Blue Bunny ice cream.

When asked what he would be doing for New Year’s Eve, he said he would be spending it with his wife, Ann.

“I looked at the website to see what’s going on in Des Moines over New Year’s Eve and there’s a celebration of the music of the Doors at a place called the, is it the Brickyard?” Romney said. “So we’ll see if we go there or just hang out in the lobby of the hotel. Not sure yet.”

When asked if he was a fan of the Doors, he said, “I enjoy their music.”

As for his New Year’s resolution? “To be more thankful and appreciative of people who I owe appreciation to,” Romney said.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/poli...8WI/story.html

washingtonpost.com
By Philip Rucker
Posted at 08:10 PM ET, 12/31/2011


Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney signs autographs during a campaign stop at Kinzler Construction in Ames, Iowa on Thursday. (Charlie Riedel - AP)

LE MARS, Iowa – Mitt Romney returned to Iowa Saturday night sounding even more sure of his chances at claiming the Republican presidential nomination than when he left the state the day before.

Stepping into a packed family diner here, Romney told a few hundred supporters: “If I’m the Republican nominee, I’ll be back in Iowa to win the general election and we will win Iowa. We’ll go to Washington with a mandate to make sure we get this country back on the right track. I’m gonna be back in Iowa.”

But Romney, apparently seeking to burnish his anti-immigration credentials before conservative voters, made a comment that one of President Obama’s top political advisers suggested could hurt him in a general election contest.

For the first time, Romney said outright that he would veto the federal DREAM Act, legislation that would provide a pathway to citizenship for certain undocumented immigrants. The former Massachusetts governor previously has been critical of the DREAM Act – and, as governor, he vetoed a similar state law – but previously had not said he would veto the federal law as president.

“If I were elected and Congress were to pass the DREAM Act, would I veto it?” Romney said, repeating the question a voter asked him at a campaign stop in Le Mars. “The answer is yes.”

Romney went on to say he is “delighted with the idea that people who come to this country and wish to serve in the military can be given a path to become permanent residents of this country… I respect and acknowledge that path.”

But, he added: “For those who come here illegally, the idea of giving them in-state tuition credits or other special benefits I find to be contrary to the idea of a nation of law. If I’m the president of the United States, I want to end illegal immigration so that we can protect legal immigration.”

According to a campaign aide, Romney specifically opposes provisions in the measure that would open a path to legalization for illegal immigrants who complete high school and two years of post-secondary education and that would allow states to grant them in-state tuition to public colleges.

David Axelrod, Obama’s top political strategist, highlighted Romney’s comments on Twitter, calling Romney “wrong on principle & politics.”

The DNC’s Senior Advisor for Hispanic Affairs, Juan Sepúlveda, also weighed in, saying in a statement, “Mitt Romney has shown once again that he is out of touch and far to the right of even members of his own party, and that he would not represent the best interest of middle class Americans, those still trying to reach the middle class, and Hispanics in the country.”

Romney’s comments come as recent polls show that Republicans still face a challenge in winning Hispanic support. A recent survey by the Pew Hispanic Center found President Obama leads Romney by 68 percent to 23 percent among Hispanic voters.

Romney’s stop in Le Mars was his first in Iowa since leaving the state after a three-day bus tour. He spent about 30 hours in New Hampshire, holding a spaghetti dinner with supporters Friday night and a breakfast on Saturday morning.

Both events drew overflow crowds, clearly boosting Romney’s confidence just days before voting begins to pick a nominee. At the New Hampshire dinner, Romney said he expected to win not just the nomination, but the White House. “I look forward to getting this job, and I think I will,” he said.

In Le Mars, Romney was introduced by his youngest of five sons, Craig, who called his dad “relentless.”

“My dad is a very competitive guy,” Craig Romney said.

To make the point, he described a Romney family tradition: an annual family triathlon, including a short swim, bike race and run. This past summer, Craig’s wife had been recovering from having her second child and decided to compete in the race.

“All the boys had finished at that point and it was down to my wife and my dad,” Craig said.

“I tripped her!” Mitt Romney playfully chimed in, laughing. “I tripped her!”

The race was in the home stretch, Craig recalled, and his wife had a slight lead over Romney. “In that moment, he decided he was gonna win that race or he was gonna die trying. And you see this fight to the finish, he went for this, he gave it everything he had, he gave it a good kick and he beat her in the end.”

Soon after, Craig said, his father passed out in a lawn chair, and the Romney clan didn’t see its patriarch for the rest of the day.

“He did almost die trying,” Craig said.

This story has been updated.

By Philip Rucker | 08:10 PM ET, 12/31/2011

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...d7SP_blog.html

postbulletin.com
Associated Press
Posted: Dec 31, 2011, 7:20 pm

LE MARS, Iowa — Mitt Romney is the clear Republican front-runner in Iowa in the final days before the first voting in the 2012 presidential election. But that's where the clarity ends in this unpredictable nomination race.

Five others are fighting, as they have all year, to emerge as the Romney alternative.

The ascendant Rick Santorum and Rick Perry are battling to win over social conservatives. Libertarian-leaning Ron Paul is working to preserve support that's starting to slip. Newt Gingrich is struggling to end his sharp slide. Michele Bachmann is hardly a factor.

"It may be Romney's to lose at this point," said John Stineman, an Iowa GOP campaign strategist. "And it's a battle among the rest."

While much can happen before Tuesday's caucuses, public surveys and internal polls as well as interviews with Republican activists, Iowa voters and political operatives both inside and outside the candidates' campaigns suggest that Romney is in strong contention to win Tuesday's caucuses.

Paul, who surged this month, has faded some following attacks on his foreign policy positions. Santorum and Perry are climbing, but evangelical Republicans and cultural conservatives continue to divide their support among the field — giving Romney an opening. And a large contingent of voters hasn't yet locked in on a candidate as the clock winds down.

Despite rapidly shifting dynamics, two things were clear on the final weekend before the caucuses: The yearlong effort to establish a consensus challenger to Romney had failed, and Romney's carefully laid plan to survive Iowa was succeeding. It relies on conservative voters failing to rally behind one candidate.

He was either slightly ahead or in a virtual tie with Paul in NBC/Marist and CNN/Time polls, with Santorum running third. The Des Moines Register, which has endorsed Romney, was releasing its final poll before the caucuses later Saturday.

With the stakes high, the candidates pressed their closing messages Saturday and released final TV ads while volunteers and staffers canvassed the state to both persuade undecided and mobilize backers.

Notably absent was Paul, the Texas congressman who returned to his home state late Friday. He had no campaign events in Iowa until Monday; his campaign said he was spending the holiday weekend with his family. Paul, however, is appearing on several Sunday morning news programs.

By Saturday afternoon, an upbeat Romney had returned to Iowa from a brief trip to New Hampshire. In Le Mars, he drew a crowd of 300 people, including supporter Alan Lucken, who shouted to the candidate: "You're going to win."

"I'm planning on it," Romney said and later told a reporter, "I sure hope to. I'll tell you that."

In another show of confidence, Romney promised to return to Iowa, a perennial general election battleground, if he is the nominee.

"I'm going to be back in Iowa — we're going to fight, we're going to win Iowa in the general election," Romney said as he closed his remarks in Le Mars.

He spent the afternoon in conservative Plymouth County and more populous Woodbury County, both winning areas for him during the 2008 race. He finished second in the state that year behind former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, although Arizona Sen. John McCain later captured the party's nomination.

At one point, he promised to veto the DREAM Act, which would provide conditional permanent residency for some illegal immigrants. While Romney has faced criticism for changing stance on some social issues, he has held to a strict position on illegal immigration during his 2012 campaign.

Romney planned to campaign Monday in cities he won four years ago — Cedar Rapids, Davenport and Dubuque. He wants to maximize the edge he holds in critical areas rather than risk underperforming in places where more ardent conservatives are leery of his Mormon faith and shifting positions on social issues.

Santorum, meanwhile, looked to capitalize on his recent surge in polls by focusing on southern portions of rural Iowa, where the former Pennsylvania senator has made a point of visiting more often than his rivals. And he rolled out a new TV ad casting him as "a trusted conservative who gives us the best chance to take back America."

He claimed momentum Saturday — and acknowledged his opponents had more money — as he traveled with his daughter Liz, who quit college to campaign for her father.

"We believe that ultimately, money doesn't matter in Iowa," Santorum said at a packed stop in Indianola. "You can't buy Iowa. You've got to go out and work for Iowa votes."

Perry's advisers see Santorum within reach and have begun attacking the former senator for having supported spending on home-state pet projects, an unpopular position in these tough economic times.

"I think the world of Rick Santorum. He's got a great family. But we've got some real difference when it comes to fiscal issues," Perry told supporters in Boone. "Those differences couldn't be clearer when it comes to important issues in this election like spending."

Santorum, in turn, charged Perry with hypocrisy: "He had a paid lobbyist in Washington looking for earmarks."

Perry has seen his fortunes improve some in recent days in part because he and his allies have advertised the most aggressively. Of the more than $3 million in television ads he has spent, the final round included spots promoting him as a Washington outsider, and Santorum, Bachmann, Gingrich and Paul as insiders.

Perry announced he would travel directly from Iowa to Greenville, S.C., the day after the caucuses, bypassing next-up New Hampshire. Still, he said he planned to participate in two debates in New Hampshire next weekend.

Gingrich, for his part, was spending the weekend pleading anew with Iowans to side with him despite what they have learned about him through millions of dollars in attack advertising by Paul and a political action committee bankrolled by Romney supporters.

"Iowa could actually dramatically change people's understanding of what works in politics if you repudiate that kind of negativity," Gingrich told 150 people at a Council Bluffs restaurant Saturday.

Illustrating the split among social conservatives, Des Moines-area talk radio conservatives Simon Conway and Steve Deace made competing endorsements Friday — Conway for Perry, Deace for Gingrich.

Bachmann, who had fallen since last summer to single digits in Iowa polls, spent the day at her Des Moines-area state campaign headquarters rallying supporters and volunteers. Ten protesters connected to the nationwide Occupy movement were arrested outside the office in a suburban strip mall. Bachmann did not come outside of the building.

http://postbulletin.com/news/stories...php?id=1480813

Illegals should never - under any circumstances- be allowed to serve in our military. Period.

At one point, he promised to veto the DREAM Act, which would provide conditional permanent residency for some illegal immigrants. While Romney has faced criticism for changing stance on some social issues, he has held to a strict position on illegal immigration during his 2012 campaign.

Letting illegal aliens join the US military would be a massive mistake and highly destructive to the national security of the United States.

The reason Romney is talking so tough on illegal immigration for the 2012 race is because he has studied public opinion on this and knows that the vast majority of Americans want enforcement only solutions to illegal immigration.

His talk about illegal aliens serving in the military to gain amnesty is showing us more doublespeak.

W

Originally Posted by florgal

Illegals should never - under any circumstances- be allowed to serve in our military. Period.

When on has an allegience to another country it is a FATAL mistake to allow them to enter our armed forces.

Sounds like he is straddling the fence by trying to placate both sides of the issue.

Yeah! well we're running out of players, and the clocks running! And he does have a C- at NumbersUSA

Do Illegal Aliens sign up for the military and they are in the United States Illegally? Unbealevable..Of Course!!!
Or are they joining without Pledging Allegiance to the U,S.A? Of Course!!!

What is the deal? Plenty of young, and hell I'd give it a shot at 52, American kids are ready to join.

Hell No.. If its already happening? Of course it is. Illegals are everywhere... We have to STOP IT!!!

Illegal is Illegal and our laws must be ENFORCED EVERYWHERE!!!