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“Meaningless Assurances”: Mitt Romney’s Short-Lived Immigration “Dream”

Mitt Romney raised eyebrows this week with an apparent Etch A Sketch on immigration policy: after months of silence on President Obama implementing many of the goals of the DREAM Act through deferred action, the Republican said he wouldn’t deport immigrant youths who are currently taking advantage of the administration’s policy.

That sounded like a step in a more progressive direction, but it left unanswered questions, most notably whether a Romney-Ryan administration would leave the existing policy in place.
Dreamers” being helped by Obama now would be temporarily secure, but what about in the near future?

Today, we got an answer.

Mitt Romney would not revoke temporary deportation exemptions granted to young illegal immigrants under an executive action by President Obama, but he also would not issue new protective documents if elected. […]

Responding to a Globe request to clarify Romney’s statement to the Denver Post, Romney’s campaign said he would honor deportation exemptions issued by the Obama administration before his inauguration but would not grant new ones after taking office.

That means the number of people who would benefit from Romney’s non-reversal could be minute.

Suddenly, Romney’s move towards a moderate posture looks a whole lot less impressive.

In practical terms, what the Republican is saying here is that those who’ve already received a temporary exemption from deportation can stay until that reprieve expires after two years. But that’s literally it — no other exemptions will be issued, no other immigrants will be protected, no future extensions will be made.

To hear Romney tell it, everything will work out fine — he’ll get elected, convince Congress to pass a “full immigration reform plan,” sign it, and everyone’s needs will be met.

But since he still refuses to tell anyone what’s in his “full immigration reform plan,” the assurances are meaningless.

By: Steve Benen, The Maddow Blog, October 3, 2012

October 4, 2012 - Posted by raemd95 | Election 2012, Immigration | Deportation, Dream Act, Equal Rights, GOP, Immigrants, Mitt Romney, Politics, Republicans