“I don’t see how the — the party that says it’s the party of the family is going to adopt an immigration policy which destroys families that have been here a quarter century. And I’m prepared to take the heat for saying, let’s be humane in enforcing the law without giving them citizenship but by finding a way to create legality so that they are not separated from their families.”
That was Newt Gingrich, the present leader in the Republican’s race to take on President Obama in 2012. Gingrich was responding to a question about illegal immigration, and whether his administration would deport people living in this country illegally.
Gingrich was immediately pounced upon by the likes of Mitt Romney, Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann, who called Gingrich’s stance “amnesty.” They also called Newt’s idea a “magnet,” claiming that if you create legality for those families here 25 years or more, then others will come to this country illegally, expecting the same after their 25 years.
Well Gingrich said he was prepared to take the heat for saying “let’s be humane,” so here comes the heat.
High ranking Republicans are coming down on Newt for his recent, surprising stance on immigration . Representative Peter King joined in, calling Gingrich’s plan is “a form of amnesty.” King continued;
“I think if Speaker Gingrich had that to do over again, he might couch his language a little differently at a minimum. I wouldn’t agree with him on that policy,” King said. “I think that when you give people even a promise that they can stay in the country after they’re here illegally you become more of a magnet and it is a form of amnesty and more people will come in counting on that.”
King has been a vocal critic of so-called “amnesty” programs, and indicated that if he decided to endorse a candidate before the Jan. 3 caucus, Gingrich had hurt his chances.
If Republicans looked at what Newt said, they would see that he was not offering citizenship to these people, he is offering a “form of legality“, to people who have been in this country for over 25 years, worked, paid taxes, and people who have roots in the communities they live in. Maybe they will be okay with Newt’s idea, but that word humane…!
Well, I usually don’t agree with the Newt, but it is rather amusing to see Republicans falling all over themselves, trying to separate their party from the very appearance of seeming humane.
"A form of legality"? What the heck does that mean? A sort of second-class citizenry? Maybe its Gingrich's idea of a new second class/middleclass. One that won't make a fuss about laboring under in-human conditions and receiving minimal payment for the privilege of remaining in the US. Doesn't sound too humane to me Ezra.