Republican Debate - 1/10/08 - 7

Immigration -- big issue
Push for immigration reform failed, mainly bc of your plan, secure borders first.
McCain -- failed bc American people had not confidence that feds would do the job. passed a law we didn't enforce...I will secure the border and have the border governors certify the borders are secure...same old story about wife of servicemember...get at the end of the line...learn English...secure borders first and I know how to do that...

Form of amnesty?
Romney -- Secure border, fence, employment verification of some kind -- we all agree, what do we do with the 12 million? No special pathway or privilege...look at person by person...time period...they go home...get in line with everyone else...humane and generous...won't give special privilege to illegals.

How would you find them?
Thompson -- High Fences and Wide Gates...we decide when to open and close gates...enforce border, crack down on employers...on front end...end sanctuary cities by cutting off discretionary federal funding...enforcement by attrition...we must be concerned about another 12 m...Huck's in-state tuition for illegals...

Denying a path to citizenship...willing to concede Hispanic vote?
Paul -- we must enforce the law...think in economic terms...if you subsidize something you get more of it...free medical care, education, amnesty...some of our people won't work because of the welfare state...some of our border guards are in Iraq...we're going to lose some votes, but hte law is the law

Bush's outreach to Hispanics...support has fallen sharply.
Huck -- there is not great support among Hispanics for illegal immigration...must have secure border...9 point immigration policy...the govt. doesn't have to "round everybody up" to go home. When people are here, they should live in the light not the darkness.

Would you object to sanctuary cities as pres?
Rudy -- It would be absurd to not allow illegals to report crimes...helped to bring crime down, more than any city in the history of America. Children of illegal immigrants in school...what was I going to do? Keep them on the streets...we report so many to INS, they asked us to stop reporting...must change behavior here, not all that different from NY...need tamper-proof ID card...not enough border patrol.

Brit -- Have a good night.