thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com
By MICHAEL D. SHEAR
January 25, 2012, 4:11 pm

MIAMI — Mitt Romney on Wednesday angrily rejected Newt Gingrich’s accusation that he is “anti-immigrant,” calling that a personal attack that is out of bounds.

“It’s very sad for a candidate to resort to that kind of epithet,” Mr. Romney said at a candidate forum sponsored by Univision. “We don’t attack each other with those kind of terrible terms. I am not anti-immigrant. I’m pro-immigrant.”

Mr. Romney defended his proposal for “self-deportation,” saying that if illegal immigrants were no longer able to find work they would voluntarily decide to go back to their home country.

He said that by criticizing his proposals before the same group, Mr. Gingrich was pandering for Hispanic votes,.

“It’s very tempting to come into an audience like this and to pander to the audience,” Mr. Romney said. Later, Mr. Romney took the opportunity to recognize Mel Martinez, a former senator from Florida.

Jorge Ramos, who interviewed Mr. Romney, pressed him on his wealth and on his taxes, and asked him directly how much money he had.

“Between 150 and 200 some-odd million,” Mr. Romney said, looking a bit uncomfortable and referring Mr. Ramos to the financial disclosure reports that his campaign has filed.

Mr. Ramos noted that Mr. Romney’s father was born in Mexico and asked whether Mr. Romney could claim to be Mexican-American.

“I don’t think people would think I’m being honest if I said I was Mexican-American,” Mr. Romney said, laughing. But he added: “I would appreciate it if you could get that word out.”

Romney Defends Stance on Immigration - NYTimes.com