Jornal.us

Gov. Susana Martinez, who has insisted she isn't interested in becoming presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's running mate, criticized his stance on illegal immigration during a recent Newsweek interview.

Political blogs picked up on the article Monday, in which she took aim at the "self-deportation" idea promoted by Romney:

" 'Self-deport?' What does that mean?" Martinez snaps. "I have no doubt Hispanics have been alienated during his campaign. But now there's an opportunity for Gov. Romney to have a sincere conversation about what we can do and why."

Among her suggestions: Republicans should remind Latinos that Obama pledged to pass comprehensive immigration reform by the end of his initial year in office, but "didn't even have the courage to try."

The article said Martinez envisions a multi-level approach including "increased border security; deportation for criminals; a guest-worker program for people who want 'to go freely back and forth across the border to work'; a DREAM Act-style pathway to citizenship, through the military or college, for children brought here illegally by their parents; and a visa (coupled with a 'penalty' or a 'tagback') that allows the rest of the illegal population to remain in the U.S. while they follow standard naturalization procedures."



Source: (c) 2012 The Santa Fe New Mexican (Santa Fe, N.M.)