Los Angeles Mayor Slams Mitt Romney on Immigration
EmailLos Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa pounced on Mitt Romney’s immigration stance Wednesday night before a crowd of Washington, D.C., lawmakers and officials honoring the mayor for his public service.
“For the first time in modern memory, a major political party is poised to nominate a presidential candidate who has abandoned immigration reform and instead advocates self-deportation,” he said.
Villaraigosa, who was presented with the 2012 Edward R. Roybal Award for Outstanding Public Service by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, didn’t mention Romney by name, but called out the GOP front-runner for rejecting past bipartisan efforts on immigration reform.
“Democrats and Republicans have recognized that our immigration system is broken and that it needs to be fixed. Now they haven’t always agreed on the route but they’ve agreed on the destination. He added, “Unfortunately, now the likely Republican nominee for president has clearly rejected this rough consensus.”
As immigration reform continues to be a hot-button issue on and off the campaign trail, Villaraigosa reminded the crowd that the country was built by immigrants.
“We know that the reason we came here was because this was the place that embraced us. This was the place that said, ‘If you work hard, and you play by the rules and believe in this great country, you will be rewarded.’ We love that America,” the California-born Democrat said.
Villaraigosa, 59, also used the stage to call for the passage of the DREAM Act and the payroll-tax cut. While honored that he was awarded for his public service, he noted that there was still much work to do.
“We can’t let every proposal for a path to citizenship be drowned out by a knee-jerk chorus of opposition,” he said. “We can’t be a country where ‘show me your papers’ is routinely heard on our sidewalks and in our streets.”
Romney wasn’t the only person taken to task on immigration. Villaraigosa also called on the White House for action. “I’m going to work hard to re-elect President Obama, but then I’m going to be real clear there are only two terms, not three,” he said. “We’ve got to get comprehensive immigration reform in the second term.”
UPDATE: Ryan Williams, a spokesman for the Romney campaign, responded with this statement: “This is a dishonest smear from President Obama’s liberal allies and a desperate attempt to distract from his abysmal record. It will do nothing to help the millions of Hispanics who have been hit especially hard as a result of the Obama economy. Hispanics are supporting Mitt Romney because they know he has a proven record as a conservative businessman, and is the best person to rebuild the economy that President Obama has spent three and half years destroying.”
Romney has said he supports legal immigration, but he staked out one of the more conservative positions on the issue of immigration during the ongoing GOP primary. He has criticized Newt Gingrich, for instance, for supporting a pathway to legal residency for illegal immigrants who have long been inside the U.S..
“In order to bring people in legally, we’ve got to stop illegal immigration,” said Romney at a November GOP presidential debate. “That means turning off the magnets of amnesty, in-state tuition for illegal aliens, employers that knowingly hire people that have come here illegally. We welcome legal immigration. This is a party — this is a party that loves legal immigration. But we have to stop illegal immigration for all the reasons the questioner raised, which is it is bringing in people who, in some cases, can be terrorists. In other cases, they become burden on our society. And we have to finally have immigration laws that protect our border. Secure the border, turn off the magnets and make sure that we have people that come to this country legally to build our economy.”
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Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is clueless. He wants a “”reform”" that keeps illegals here in the US or nothing. He is Mexican and I believe his bias is showing.
Posted by: commonsenseparty | February 9, 2012, 9:06 am 9:06 am
Why should anyone listen to those who came from Mexico, about immigration? They are totally biased, and don’t care anything about America…….just Mexicans.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | February 9, 2012, 9:10 am 9:10 am
Headline you won’t see at ABC.
Miami Mayor Praises Mitt Romney on Immigration
Posted by: Noz | February 9, 2012, 9:14 am 9:14 am
Why should anyone listen to those who came from Mexico, about immigration? They are totally biased, and don’t care anything about America……. just Mexicans. Posted by: Rick McDaniel | February 9, 2012, 9:10 am.
Everyone came from somewhere. McDaniel sounds Irish. Do you only care about the Irish? Your racist remark is, sadly, typical of the Right Wing in America today.
Posted by: Disgusted with gop | February 9, 2012, 9:42 am 9:42 am
True, this country was largely settled by immigrants. However, they didn’t sneak in as illegals, refusing the learn the language or the culture. America is called the “Melting Pot of the World”, because of all the cultures that come here from all over the world. Many want to come as legal immigrants to become citizens, learn the language, and become a vital law-abiding part of this society. Illegals care nothing about that. They want to come in and take over language, culture, jobs, and contribute nothing to this country/society. Unfortunately America is quickly filling up with these illegals. Just watch them run back to their own country when America is faced with another major war and needs real men and women to defend it.
Posted by: Lynne | February 9, 2012, 10:38 am 10:38 am
Disguested with GOP, I’m a lifelong labor Democrat and am disgusted with Democrats such as Villaraigosa who push for “immigration reform”, i.e. amnesty. We tried that in 1986 and all we’ve gotten is more illegal immigration and failure to enforce our laws. “Self-deportation” is really about the latter–actually having a federal government that will enforce the laws we have and, in its absence, having states that will do that. I’m of Arab ancestry. Do you really think Villaraigosa would be campaigning for amnesty if it were mainly Arab illegal aliens who would benefit? Or Irish?
Posted by: aLI | February 9, 2012, 11:02 am 11:02 am
The common sense answer to immigration is the Dream Act. It’s been in Congress for two years and the republicans keep holding it up.
Mitt is insane if he thinks an immigrant who has been here for years is going to give up his/her family and job voluntarily to go back to the living conditions in Mexico.
The answer is to penalize employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants or to unionize those businesses that hire illegals. These companies thrive on cheap labor, that’s why the US Chamber of Commerce (Romney supporters) are so against doing anything.
Posted by: tmferretti | February 9, 2012, 11:23 am 11:23 am
Our immigration system is NOT broken. We have a LEGAL way for immigrants to come to this country. What is broken is our enforcement of the immigration laws
I’m not a republican, but I will be voting for one this election, and pray to God he will get our immigration laws enforced. I’m sick of obama pandering to these people who have NO RIGHT to be in this country. The illegal aliens who don’t have our jobs, are using this country as a welfare country with their anchor babies, (illegal alien children). Why should illegal aliens be entitled to a DREAM Act? They are in this country ILLEGALLY no matter how they got here. It’s time to get these illegal aliens back to their own country where they belong. They DO NOT belong here! Then we have obama’s aunt and uncle, who just snubbed their nose at our laws. What are they doing here? Tell me. What are they doing here?
Liberal Democrat stupidity knows no limits.
Posted by: Delaware Bob | February 9, 2012, 11:24 am 11:24 am
speak english and pay taxes and dont commit crimes. dont come here to have anchor babies while the rest of the country fights for birth control to be paid by religious organizations.
Posted by: catman | February 9, 2012, 11:39 am 11:39 am
Romney doesn’t even CARE about immigration. He ONLY cares about making himself LOOK GOOD to EVERY Righty with their own agendas that are USUALLY based on exclusion, hatred, racism and intolerance! Whatever is spoken about, notice how MITT has taken the strongest and most RIDICULOUS (IMO) stance there is just to appeal to all those rights that vote nasty. He NEVER needed to do that because the VAST Majority of Righties are very good and reasonable people who just want a good President that IS a Conservative. So all these clowns continually CATER to the LOWEST of their backers hoping to get THEIR votes while totally IGNORING the rest of the people in this nation. And we WONDER why our Government SUCKS so much!
Posted by: demNme5 | February 9, 2012, 11:55 am 11:55 am
You people act as if illegals are taking up all the jobs. The only place I see them: fields, tire shops, mechanics (Not Bmw that’s for sure), construction, factories.
I don’t see them working in Govt agencies, medical facilities, etc etc.
I can almost assure the majority of you bashing immigrants have no college degree and a job you despise.
Posted by: erick10 | February 9, 2012, 12:05 pm 12:05 pm
“The common sense answer to immigration is the Dream Act.” – Timbo Ferrari
No it isn’t, unless I guess if you live in La La Liberalistan.
Posted by: Noz | February 9, 2012, 12:32 pm 12:32 pm
erick10…with real unemployment well over 10%any job going to an illegal is wrong. if you are unemployed a job is a job whether it be in a filed, tire shop , mechanic, construction and factories. those jobs are all jobs legal americans should have or get off unemployment.
Posted by: catman | February 9, 2012, 12:33 pm 12:33 pm
As soon as the liberals distinguish between ILLEGAL and LEGAL the rest of the country will listen.
Posted by: Lizzie | February 9, 2012, 12:37 pm 12:37 pm
“The illegal aliens who don’t have our jobs, are using this country as a welfare country with their anchor babies, (illegal alien children). Why should illegal aliens be entitled to a DREAM Act?” – Delaware Bob
Great question Bob.
Why would Congress work on legislation for the benefit of illegals?
btw, there’s no such thing as a Anchor Baby™.
Children born in the USA to illegals are citizens of the country the illegal mother comes from as per the 14th Amendment.
They are not US Citizens.
Posted by: Noz | February 9, 2012, 12:39 pm 12:39 pm
DELAWARE BOB
The reality is there are a lot of illegal immigrants who are here and have been here for many years, have families, and have behaved like good citizens. I don’t think anyone is in favor of rounding them up and deporting them.
Under President Obama illegal immigration is way down, the question is what do we do with the immigrants who are here now. The Dream Act answers those questions?
Posted by: tmferretti | February 9, 2012, 12:44 pm 12:44 pm
Didn`t the mayor mention playing by the rules…….isn;t coming to a country illegally not playing by the rules
Posted by: Mary | February 9, 2012, 1:02 pm 1:02 pm
Villaraigosa said: “If you work hard, and you play by the rules and believe in this great country, you will be rewarded.” Hey, Antonio, illegal aliens by definition do NOT play by the rules and, therefore, should NOT be rewarded.
Posted by: abusedcitizen | February 9, 2012, 1:06 pm 1:06 pm
“the question is what do we do with the immigrants who are here now.” – tmferretti
Leave them be and when they get caught doing something illegal deport them.
There’s no need to change their status from illegal to legal.
Posted by: Noz | February 9, 2012, 1:17 pm 1:17 pm
The idea that the U.S. is a nation of immigrants from all over the world seems like a myth
invented by whoever invented multiculturalism. Until 1965 most of the immigrants were from
Europe. Europeans created the scientific and industrial revolution that resulted in
most all industries in the world today. 60% of the global fortune 500 companies are in Europe,
Canada or the U.S. Europe Canada and the U.S represent one seventh of the
worlds population but thats where 60% of the largest companies are and where
55% of the worlds GDP comes from.
Posted by: Phil | February 9, 2012, 2:46 pm 2:46 pm
erick10, you are an ignorant fool. Illegal aliens are NOT immigrants. Illegal aliens are lawbreakers and criminals who have no right to be in this country.
Posted by: Sophia | February 9, 2012, 3:09 pm 3:09 pm
Hispanic supremacist Antonio Villaraigosa, mayor of Los Angles, is condemning Mitt Romney for his strong stance against illegal immigration. I would wear that as a badge of honor. A Hispanic supremacist thinks that their race or community does not have to get in line for 10 years like everyone else does legally, they believe it is ok to walk across the border unlawfully and demand to be made a citizen. Its not the Canadians doing this, it is the Hispanic supremacists, and they think the laws don’t apply to them.
Posted by: Arthur Douglass | February 9, 2012, 5:01 pm 5:01 pm
Villar isn’t even qualified to mention Mitt’s name, let alone, critique him. Villar is a leech.
Posted by: For liberty | February 9, 2012, 10:13 pm 10:13 pm
We need to send those freeloaders back to their country.
Posted by: >_> | February 13, 2012, 9:03 am 9:03 am
wHAT DOES HE MEAN PUTTING THE ECONOMY THAT OBAMA RUINED RIGHT . IT WAS THE REPUBLICANS THAT MESSED IT UP IN THE BEGINING
Posted by: suki oliver | February 13, 2012, 10:54 am 10:54 am
‘If you work hard, and you play by the rules and believe in this great country, you will be rewarded.’
Breaking the law is not to be rewarded. Illegal immigration is breaking the law!
Posted by: blue blooded | February 14, 2012, 9:06 pm 9:06 pm
Coming here illegally is disrespectful and against the law. Employing and housing those who come here illegally is also disrespectful and against the law. Kudos to any political candidate who stands up for upholding the law unlike our current and past Presidents.
Posted by: Sparky | February 22, 2012, 9:14 pm 9:14 pm