Thread: Mitt Romney on Immigration: Four New Takeaways and Gutierrez’ Reaction

Written By Pablo Schneider
Published January 29, 2012
Fox News Latino

Based on media coverage, it would be easy to conclude that “self-deportation” is the centerpiece of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s position on immigration. It turns out there is a lot more to it than that.
On Friday, Romney spoke about immigration to an audience of over 600 Hispanic leaders at the Hispanic Leadership Network, a center-right advocacy group, conference in Miami. The conference was co-chaired by former Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
Here are four takeaways from Governor Romney’s remarks followed by Secretary Gutierrez’ reaction.
Takeaway #1: Legal immigration is good, it’s important, it’s an advantage, and America needs it.
Takeaway #2: To protect legal immigration, stop illegal immigration.
• Build a better fence.
• Have enough personnel to protect the border.
• Put a card and verification system in place that works, allowing employers to know immediately whether or not a job applicant is authorized to work.
• Crack down aggressively on employers that hire people who are not authorized to work.
Romney's Stance on Latino Issues
Takeaway #3: Implement constructive solutions for people waiting to immigrate legally and for people who immigrated illegally and live in the U.S.
• For the 4.5 million people waiting to immigrate legally, make legal immigration easier and more transparent.
• For the 11+ million people who immigrated illegally and live in the U.S., they’d need to get a temporary work permit, return to their home country to apply for residency (“self-deportation”), and get in line with those waiting to immigrate legally.
Takeaway #4: Substantially expand legal immigration, including implementation of a program that matches visas to employers’ needs in all sectors.
Governor Romney concluded his remarks by saying, “We are not anti-immigrant. We are not anti-immigration. We are the pro-immigration, pro-legality, pro-citizenship nation and party.”
Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez is Vice Chairman of the Institutional Clients Group for Citigroup and is Honorary Co-Chair of Mitt Romney’s National Hispanic Steering Committee. Secretary Gutierrez served in the Bush Administration from 2005 to 2009 and was in office during the last major attempt to enact comprehensive immigration reform. Prior to serving in the Bush Administration, he was Chairman and CEO of the Kellogg Company. His cabinet-level experience in government and C-level experience in corporate America give him a unique perspective on immigration, both in terms of politics and in terms of business.
When asked about Governor Romney’s remarks on immigration, Secretary Gutierrez said, “What I heard the Governor say this morning made a lot of sense. He’s talking about a national immigration strategy to put all of the pieces together because he recognizes what I haven’t heard anyone else recognize, which is that immigration is a strategic advantage. If you do it [immigration reform] in a piecemeal way, every piece becomes a political football. It becomes a tactical game in which Hispanics are being used. The important thing that I heard the Governor say, and it just shows that he’s a strategic thinker, that he has been working in business, that he knows how to think about problems in a strategic way before going down to the tactics, is to have a national immigration policy."
President Obama made a campaign promise to take up comprehensive immigration reform during his first year in office. That didn’t happen, but what has happened since he took office is that a record 1.2 million illegal immigrants have been deported. When asked about President Obama’s record on immigration, Secretary Gutierrez commented, "I've talked to a lot of Hispanics who are very frustrated, they feel like they’ve been taken for a ride. They were promised everything. He had the presidency, he had both houses, and he had popularity. It’s a matter of how important it [comprehensive immigration reform] was to him and it wasn’t that important to him because there are no results."


Read more: Mitt Romney on Immigration: Four New Takeaways and Gutierrez

they feel like they’ve been taken for a ride. They were promised everything

No we Americans are being taken for a ride...now you need to take a ride, Gutierrez.

• For the 11+ million people who immigrated illegally and live in the U.S., they’d need to get a temporary work permit, r

No thanks, we defeated Guest Worker AMNESTY attempts during the two Bush terms and Romney is spouting the same plan with what is called a "Touchback Provision" or "The Pence Plan"

It is a trick on the American people. To fulfill the current US Law which Americans support, that says illegal aliens must leave America... Romney and his CFR supporters want illegal aliens to leave for a few days to pick up more permanent credentials just across the US border at "Ellis Island stations" to return LEGALLY saying "look at me i walked in legal!"

We know this plan all to well. It is the same Council on Foreign Relations plan we have heard before.

W

Same old BS. No wonder the GOP is so sold on this Rino. Don't fall for it folks, It is the same song, just another Liar

We are running out of options!

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

Romney and his CFR supporters.... It is the same Council on Foreign Relations plan we have heard before.

W

I would like to see the proof that Romney's tied in with CFR, Bilderburg, NAU, or the rest the Globes? Yeah! he's a businessman anyone with 2 brain cells still firing would know the fastest way to create jobs is deport the 8 million illegals holding those jobs, and in every debate he said "enforce existing immigration laws" tomorrow he will win Fla. and after that he will win Nevada, Arizona, Maine, and Michigan. It's time to stop bashing and start schoolin' this "Preppie" He's not "Hood Tested" and he's going up against the "Bringer of Sorrow"

Problem is we can't get a decent candidate as to run takes big money and you need to be party to the same system that is corrupt or its near impossible to get your name out there like on the Media.

Now what I see Romney saying I hope its the harder stance meaning they need to go home, apply, and then wait until their turn comes up which may never happen. But it is a way to sort of pander not to the illegal aliens who expect everything but to the Citizens on the fence who are buying into the crap that its "inhumane" to just kick them back. Hate to say there are quite a few who fall into the independent category and barely moderate who are registered as Republican who still are under the delusion we need to somehow allow them some sort of way.

I just hope if he wins it isn't what he actually does. But in a way I see it like our old fav TV show The Price is Right where the bidding starts and you overbid your opponent by just $1 to take away any chance from them unless they have the perfect bid.

I do have a feeling we will get someone who enters as an independent though at this rate and that may be who we need to lay our chips with as long as they seem to support our end.

Takeaway #4: Substantially expand legal immigration, including implementation of a program that matches visas to employers’ needs in all sectors.

Not without independent verification that sufficient skills and numbers of US citizens are not available . Moreover the government must aggressively manage the visa program, i.e., every visa holder must be tracked, and not allowed to change jobs without government approval. Plus, when an individual's visa expires, that individual must either leave the US, or request an extension/new visa which then must go through the same need verification as the original visa. If denied, the individual returns to his/her country of origin.

There also should be responsibilities placed on employers:

1. Be RESPONSIBLE for all visa holders in their employ. Report them if they fail to show for work; report them if criminal activity is detected; ask the governement to revoke visas for individuals who do not comply 100% with the provisions of the visa.

2. Be RESPONSIBLE for medical care and expenses of all visa holders in their employ. US taxpayers should not be saddled with any visa holder medical expenses.

3. Employers should be required to pay impact fees to local school districts for the children of any visa holders in their employ who attend local schools. (This is similar to impact fees the US Government pays local schools near US military installations in the US for dependents of assigned military personnel.)

Originally Posted by 4thHorseman

Not without independent verification that sufficient skills and numbers of US citizens are not available . Moreover the government must aggressively manage the visa program, i.e., every visa holder must be tracked, and not allowed to change jobs without government approval. Plus, when an individual's visa expires, that individual must either leave the US, or request an extension/new visa which then must go through the same need verification as the original visa. If denied, the individual returns to his/her country of origin.

There also should be responsibilities placed on employers:

1. Be RESPONSIBLE for all visa holders in their employ. Report them if they fail to show for work; report them if criminal activity is detected; ask the governement to revoke visas for individuals who do not comply 100% with the provisions of the visa.

2. Be RESPONSIBLE for medical care and expenses of all visa holders in their employ. US taxpayers should not be saddled with any visa holder medical expenses.

3. Employers should be required to pay impact fees to local school districts for the children of any visa holders in their employ who attend local schools. (This is similar to impact fees the US Government pays local schools near US military installations in the US for dependents of assigned military personnel.)

Oh! yeah! that is good stuff there boy! Did you help Kobach write up SB1070? This is good!

romney and gutierrez

Same old BS. No wonder the GOP is so sold on this Rino. Don't fall for it folks, It is the same song, just another Liar

Yep!