Republican Presidential Candidates Debate on Immigration
The Republican presidential candidates participated in a debate sponsored by the Western Republican Leadership Conference and CNN, moderated by Anderson Cooper, on October 18, 2011. The debate focused on the topic of immigration, with several candidates sharing their perspectives on the issue.
Key Takeaways:
- Representative Michele Bachmann emphasized the importance of securing the border and enforcing immigration laws, stating that "people need to understand that" the current system is "one of the problems."
- Businessman and Columnist Herman Cain was not present at the debate.
- Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich emphasized the importance of appealing to the Latino community, stating that "most Latinos in the United States want virtually exactly what everyone else wants: an economy that's growing, a job that has take-home pay, access to health insurance, and a chance to get educated."
- Representative Ron Paul acknowledged the concerns of Latino voters who feel that strong anti-immigration laws are anti-Latino laws, stating that "we have to have the same message for every American of every ethnic background."
- Governor Rick Perry and Former Senator Rick Santorum did not make significant comments on the topic of immigration during the debate.
Statistics:
- 67% of the Latino vote went to President Obama in the last election (Source: CNN)
- The United States has the most open history to legal immigration (Source: Speaker Gingrich)
- 50 million Latinos live in the United States, not all of whom are illegal (Source: Debate Questioner)
- Most Latinos in the United States are now born in the United States, not immigrants (Source: Speaker Gingrich)
Sources:
- [Federal News Service, Inc.](http://www.fednews.com)
- CNN
- Western Republican Leadership Conference