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Subscribe to RSSCHARLESTON, S.C. – While he doubled down on his belief that some illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay in the U.S., Newt Gingrich sounded an otherwise hard tone on the issue at a town hall here.
Seeking to capitalize on his campaign’s newfound momentum, Gingrich told a packed house at the College of Charleston’s Sottile Theater that he stands by his view that some illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay in the country, a position for which he’s taken conservative heat since mentioning it at CNN’s foreign policy debate last week.
“Take someone who’s been here for 25 years. They’ve been obeying the law for 25 years, they’ve been paying taxes for 25 years, they’re married, they have 3 kids, 2 grandkids and belong to a church. Do you really think the American people are going to send a policeman to take that person away from their family? I don’t,” Gingrich said.
But he clarified that he thinks the number of immigrants that provision would affect is “relatively small.”
He also pushed back on claims from his opponents, most notably Michele Bachmann, that he supports amnesty for illegal immigrants (Bachmann said earlier this week that Gingrich has “a long history of supporting amnesty”).
“Several of my friends have said I'm for amnesty. That's not true. At least one of them has run around saying I want to have amnesty for 11 million people. That's just totally false. That's in fact an Obama level quality statement,” Gingrich said.
Gingrich took a hard line when outlining his overall immigration policy, saying he would cut off federal funds to any city that declares itself a “sanctuary city,” and that he would make deportation of illegal immigrants easier, especially if they have a history of criminal behavior.
When making that last point, Gingrich singled out one group, Mara Salvatrucha, better known as MS-13, a gang of mostly Salvadoran but also other Central and South American immigrants.
“If you are a member of MS-13, which is a very dangerous gang in over 190 cities, membership of that gang should be automatic evidence you should be deported,” Gingrich said.
Gingrich’s comments came just hours after his campaign released a statement from the candidate condemning the Department of Justice’s lawsuit against South Carolina’s newly passed immigration law. The department is blocking some provisions of the law that it says usurps federal authority.
He reiterated that statement during opening remarks at tonight’s town hall here, which was hosted by South Carolina Rep. Tim Scott.
“Instead of coming down here hat in hand to apologize for the absolute failure of the federal government, the Obama administration filed a lawsuit against the state of South Carolina,” Gingrich said.
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Nobody, but Nobody believes we can round up 20 million illegal aliens, put them on a boat and ship them somewhere. We are all for strong borders, but let's face it - most of them are here to stay. We need a Practical solution, and Newt is the only one espousing a sensible answer.
Correction / Clarification--your pick:
Newt is the only one among the Republicans espousing a sensible answer.
Easy solution. Tell employers they have 3 years to get rid of their undocmented workers. At the end of three years, start taking their businesses away and fine them to the hilt. I honestly to not care how long these people have been in the United States. They have broken the law, whether we like it or not. All lawmakers are sworn to uphold and follow the law with their oath. Anything that deviates from following their oath is wrong and against the law for them. It happened before. Reagan made a deal with the democrats and pardoned over 10 million of the illegals. The democrats failed to deliver on their end and now we have over 10 million more. It has got to come to an end. I have no sympathy for any of the illegals.
If they are HERE, working and "paying taxes" they have already committed several felonies. On top of that they have overburdened our schools and other Social Services to the tune of (approximately) $500 BILLION a year. $21 BILLION a year in California, alone!
They knew, when they came here ILLEGALLY, that the threat of deportation was always going to be hanging over their heads. Now it is time to pay the piper!
The only thing I feel bad about is we can't deport their Anchor Babies and all those GRAND KIDS right along with them!
If we just enforce the DAMNED LAWS they would self-deport because they'd have no work, no place to live and NO SOCIAL SERVICES!
We don't need ILLEGAL ALIENS to work in the fields. We have VISAS for people to come here LEGALLY to do that work if they want. Since less than 2% of ILLEGALS work "in the fields" that means the better part of 16-20 MILLION ILLEGAL ALIENS taking jobs away from American Citizens.
98% (or so) of ILLEGAL ALIENS don't want to work in the fields either so stop the CRAP about doing jobs Citizens don't want to do.
We, currently, give VISAS to upwards of 1 MILLION immigrants EVERY year so you can also stop the CRAP about not wanting IMMIGRANTS in OUR country.
Finally, 99.9% of the ILLEGAL ALIENS who are here WOULD NOT qualify for a resident visa and in these days most of them probably wouldn't get a VISITOR visa, either. We have the right, as a sovereign nation, to decide who gets to come here and partake of the American way of life. Just because you can sneak across our border doesn't give you ANY rights.
If I end up voting for Newt, I will be lobbying my Congress people to shoot down any policy he has toward this ILLEGAL AMNESTY!
Mark-384387:
Three (3) YEARS??? How about starting to enforce the laws we currently have on the books? We won't have to deport any of them, they will self-deport.
You can't "take" someones business away but you can SURE AS HELL increase the fines so it is extremely painful, close to putting them out of business. It will only take a few "surprise" audits and fines to get the process rolling.
It will give all those IRS agents, who were hired for Obama Care, something to do for the GOOD OF THE COUNTRY for a change...
make it a felony to knowingly hire an undocumented worker
You believe that there is only one solution and it can't be done. You are right you can't round up 20 million illegal aliens, but then you don't have to round them up.
Just take away all benefits, stop them from taking jobs outside of the agriculture industry and they will deport themselves.
If we imposed the laws and penalties that are in place then the illegals would simply go home. That has proven to be the case in the past. If there are NO jobs then they go home on their own. Funny how things work when one follows the rules.
As an independent voter, AND I am TOTALLY against the TPGOP's actions over the last two years - I agree with Newt on this issue. He is being practical and offering a real solution to a problem that needs to be addressed. Swift deportation for criminals and if someone has been here for a while - put them through the process and legalize them.
With that said as far as Newt goes - he needs to go. I am amazed that they even let people with a history like his run. If I were Republicans I would be embarrassed but they are desperate to have "someone". By virtue of supporting this man and Cain the PUBs become hypocrites of a grand proportion.
Reagan legalized over 10 million before and guess what? We have over 10 million more. If you legalize these, you will have 10 million more. You have got to stop saying it is alright to break the law, we will forgive you and reward you. They are breaking the law and need to go back. They can always take their family back with them.
Mark, at least get the numbers correct. The Ronnie Reagan Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 legalized 2.8 million.
It's the employers breaking the law and the States that do not have an E-Verify mandate. Subcontractors still do a work around any state with an E-verify mandate to provide illegal workers and avoid wage laws, taxes, OSHA, etc.
So, Newt, your requirement is that they belong to a church? And it they don't......?
I believe he was citing an example he can personally relate to. The bottom line is simply someone who has, by and large, been a productive member of society. That he, as a Christian, uses that as a benchmark is his own personal belief. It does not necessarily follow that membership in any religious organization is a requirement to stay, just a sign that this person is most likely of a character worth allowing to stay.
I'm not defending his religious beliefs, I'm an atheist myself. That said, I can comprehend his comment in the context he intended it.
Fascinating stuff from the horserace perspective. This issue is explosive enough that it may delay any dirty tricks planned against Gingrich. Why take the chance when the candidate may be cutting himself off at the knees?
But as the couple comments above indicate, Gingrich has a way of making his positions sound so reasonable and the alternatives sound so silly. He's probably helping himself in the general election with this... if he can get that far, as in if he can get past the bumper-sticker-level self-proclaiming "conservatives" who do have fantasies about rounding up all them illegals.
Personally, I believe in the pendulum theory. Everything will swing one way only so long, before it starts to swing back. In investing terms, it's synonamous with contrarian thinking. I do think a lot of verbiage regarding illegal immigration has been so over the top in recent years, that even a lot of Republicans are ready for something new.
Whatever Newt --- you're more of a flip-flopper than Romney, more of a con man than Pat Robertson and more of a gangster than Al Capone. You are an insult to every Republican from Bush 43 back to Lincoln.
charlie..... contrary to what the media and the democratic party wants to portray this issue as, it has nothing to do with party affiliation. I am a registered democrat and a Union member and am vehemently opposed to any form of legalization or amnesty or whatever name they want to come up with to con the American Citizens.
This is not only an insult to every republican but is an insult to any law abiding American citizen and those foreigners who have waited in line to get permission to come into this country legally.
Paul M in Wbridge:
I agree with you--the Republican choices are abysmal. Not sure why Huntsman is so unpopular with his party, unless his service in Obama Administration immediately disqualifies him from consideration.
However, to be honest, Mr Ginrich's conduct in the past bothers me. I think his personal character is an issue--how one conducts one's personal life is often a good indicator of how one will behave with respect to business or political matters.
Huntsman has half of Romney's downside with the mormon thing. For Republicans to go with him, it would be to overlook one mormon for another, and then still have to get past the fact the guy was part of the Obama Administration. Huntsman was done before he started.
To Independent in Illinois,
"how one conducts one's personal life is often a good indicator of how one will behave with respect to business or political matters."
Really? I bet you voted for Bill Clinton twice.
YOU GO FRANK !!!!!! great post !!!
How many great Presidents have had affairs while in office? More than one. It is no justification but the claim that a fault in the personal life must be a barrier to being a great President is just B.S.
As a registered democrat I was leaning towards voting for Gingrich if he became the republican nominee, however after his announcement of his new amnesty plan I do not feel as though I could vote for him.
There is an old Chinese saying that goes something like this; every long journey begins with the first step.
Although Gingrich says today that this is not a pathway to citizenship it is just the first step to that long journey to citizenship, once having put this so called plan of legalization into law the next step would inevitably be citizenship after all once these poor misunderstood illegal aliens become legal why should they not get the right to vote as Gingrich says now and would most likely say at a latter period of time they work, they pay taxes, they attend church etc, etc why would we not do the humane thing and give them the right to become citizens and the right to vote.
Something that none of the talking heads on the boob tube have pointed out is the following.
Isn't it strange that in the year 2011 it is suggested that any illegal aliens who have lived in the United States of America for 25 years, paid taxes, goes to church, has roots in the community should be given special dispensation on the illegal act of entering this country without permission.
Lets do a little math, 25 years prior to 2011 or more like 2013 by the time this would be enacted puts us back to 1988, how odd do you think that it is that it is 2 years after the last amnesty which was no less than an open invitation and a welcome mat to millions of more illegal aliens to invade this country.
How do we differentiate between an illegal alien living here for 25 years and one living here 24 years, or 23 years or 22 years etc, etc?
You're right Jon. This was a ploy by Newt,not a policy. It is not realistic and could never be implicated.
Gingrich has a personal history of infidelity comparable to Cain. He has a history of demonizing others. Gingrich is the embodiement of the worst possible candidate to lead the USA. Republicans are desparate for a non-Mormon candidate to the point they would sell their souls to the devil.
yea really MITT-NEWT 2012 ???? What the hells a MITTNEWT....???
The gop should have a ticket of Willard and Newton . It sounds like a cartoon.
Newt is testing the teabaggers patience. Lets see...they are anti politician...and anti amnesty...and anti wall st.....yep ..its a three fer...the MAD HATTER is gonna crash the tea party and Mitt will sweep in and take all the crumpets...
Rick in the burgh:
Actually I did not vote for President Clinton twice for a number of reasons. I have always voted for the person I feel best qualified for the job they are seeking. Sometimes that means voting for a Rpublican--sometimes that means voting for a Democrat.
I believe that is the definition of an independent voter.
point.....independent.....
Herman and Newt were standing on the corner when a nice looking blond walked by ...Herman says,"lets screw her"...and Newt responded,"outta what"...?
This whole GOP process is a Train Wreck....and Obama is enjoying every minute of it !!!
OBAMA-CLINTON 2012 !!!! and beyond..........
"This whole GOP process is a Train Wreck"
Newt is the biggest pile of garbage, lies, filth, sewage, hypocrisy, excrement, dishonesty, dirt, muck, smut, trash, immorality, debris, manure, pretense, corruption, debauchery and all around depravity to ever seek the office of president.
Funny how he turns it around to be an Obama level statement when in fact it is a Ronald Reagan, his self proclaimed hero that was the Amnesty President.
"Nutty Newt" is the GOP Elephant that loves to "Politically Puke!" Has "Nutty Newt" escaped from his Mental Hospital Room??? Again!! Is "Nutty Newt" off his very powerful medications?? Again! His mental illness is very severe, and his political views are even more disturbed. Now on most days. "Nutty Newt" is running around the hospitial grounds wearing his Confederate Army Uniform. At times "Nutty Newt" sits in his room reading the Constitution of the Confederate States Of America, and praying to his picture of Jefferson Davis on his wall. During the group sessions. "Nutty Newt" has been warned about his pathological lying, and his political spewing. During dinner time. "Nutty Newt" has been warned about his economically greedy habits, and his continued stealing of food. Is America getting sick of hearing and seeing the political antics of the GOP Clowns??? I hope so!
How does an illegal pay payroll taxes for years? Explain how that happens. Who's ss number do they use? They have kids, wonderful. Who is paying for their education, health care, and all the other tax payer supplied stuff. An illegal is just that and the wrong done to us people needs to be corrected. Those folks that are trying to become US citizens the legal way also need to be considered. Do these long time illegals move in front of them in the line to legal status? How about all the back taxes owed you and I from the illegal and their long time employers. I thought it was a requirement to confirm legal status before employers could hire anybody.
The system needs to be fixed. being born here, children of those who broke in to our country, should not be the same as children born here from people forced in chains. The law for this was written to give citizenship to children of slaves brought here by slave owners. they were documented and did not come here of their own free will. Illegals, snuck across our boarders and stayed. They had choices and there are ways to do it the right way.
How does an illegal pay payroll taxes for years? Explain how that happens.
It's called get a fake Social Security card, a fake ID, a fake green card or ( and this probably happens 95% of time) find an employer who knows the way around the system. It's not hard to do -- just like it's not hard for 18 year old college students to get a fake ID to drink in bars.
Ron Paul 2012!!!!!!
Mental Note: The word illegal in Washington DC also means "getting things done quicker and without the BS."