The latest on California politics and government

August 5, 2010

Whitman: Illegal immigrants would have to leave for citizenship

GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman's views on immigration reform were in the spotlight again yesterday, as she told conservative radio hosts John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou that she would not support allowing undocumented immigrants currently in the country to apply for citizenship.

"I don't think we should have blanket amnesty, and I am not for a path to citizenship. I have been very, very clear," she said during a segment on John and Ken show on KFI 640 AM.

The radio hosts have relentlessly criticized Whitman in recent weeks, accusing her of changing her positions on key issues. They took their trademark aggressive tone in the interview, frequently interrupting and challenging Whitman's statements.

"Are you going to answer the question? ... No illegal alien is going to get any sort of citizenship unless they leave the country and apply through the process. Is that true?" Chiampou interjected during the interview.

Whitman responded "yes," adding that she does support a temporary guest worker program.

Whitman has faced criticism from opponents who say she has shifted her position on the issue since the primary. She has said in the past that deporting immigrants currently living in the country illegally is "simply not practical."

"Can we get a fair program where people stand at the back of the line, they pay a fine, they do some things that would ultimately allow a path to legalization?" she was quoted as saying during a 2009 event.

Spokesman Tucker Bounds said Whitman's position has remained consistent: "She does not support a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants that are in the state currently."

Whitman was also asked about her position on Proposition 23, the November ballot measure to suspend California's landmark emissions reductions law indefinitely. When pressed by the hosts, she came closer to taking a stance than she has so far in the campaign, saying "in all likelihood" she would vote no on the initiative. She supports instead ordering as governor a one-year moratorium on the law.

Click here to listen to the interview.

Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this post misspelled the hosts' last names. The Bee regrets the error.

http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlat ... -says.html