Mitt Romney Blasts Immigration Deal

Friday, May 18, 2007 7:49 a.m. EDT
Mitt Romney Blasts Immigration Deal

GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on Thursday blasted the Senate immigration bill agreement as "the wrong approach" for solving the problems of illegal immigration.
Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, said the bill falls short of the goals necessary to secure U.S. borders and ensure that corporations do not provide a safe haven for illegals, regardless of the attraction of cheap labor.

"Any legislation that allows illegal immigrants to stay in the country indefinitely, as the new 'Z-Visa' does, is a form of amnesty," Romney said in a statement on his campaign Web site. "That is unfair to the millions of people who have applied to legally immigrate to the U.S."
Romney hinted that a form of national I.D. may be necessary to get a handle on the overflow of illegal immigrants into the United States and the hiring of illegals by corporations within the country.

"[The] Senate agreement falls short of the actions needed to both solve our country's illegal immigration problem and also strengthen our legal immigration system," Romney said. "Border security and a reliable employment verification system must be our first priority . . .
"I strongly oppose today's bill . . . It is the wrong approach."

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