Immigration continues to be the weapon of choice for Republican presidential candidates looking to beat up on each other.
Candidates have criticized Texas Gov. Rick Perry for enacting the DREAM Act in his state. Pizza magnate Herman Cain has drawn criticism for proposing to put up an electrified fence along the Southwest border. He claims to have been joking.
In Tuesday's GOP debate in Las Vegas, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney had to fight off charges from Perry that he hired illegal immigrants.
"Mitt, you lose all of your standing, from my perspective, because you hired illegals in your home and you knew about it for a year," Perry told Romney during debate and called it "the height of hypocrisy."
The charge stemmed from a Boston Globe story five years ago that reported Romney used a landscaping company that employed illegal workers to cut his lawn. Romney said he had no idea who the company had hired and then assailed Perry for his record.
"Texas has had a 60% increase in illegal immigrants," Romney said. "If there's someone who has a record as governor with regards to illegal immigration that doesn't stand up to muster, it's you, not me."
There are at least another 10 Republican debates scheduled. Odds are immigration attacks will be launched during each of them.
Comments