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Candidates lay out plans for immigration

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    Part 7 of the second presidential debate

  • Duration 10:14
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This transcript is automatically generated

Clock for both of you but I want to bring in in a different subject here it.

Mr.

-- and I'll be right back with you.

At -- a -- has a question -- you about a topic we have not order is for governor Romney will be right with you Mr.

President thanks.

There.

Ain't gonna bring -- -- and -- that federal.

Found.

-- What do you plan on dealing with immigrants without their green cards are currently living here as productive members of society.

Thank you gonna -- -- I get that right got.

Thank you for your question and let me step back and tell you what I'd like to do with -- immigration policy broadly and include an answer to your your question.

First of all this is a nation of immigrants.

We welcome people come into this country as immigrants my dad was born in Mexico of American parents.

-- dad was born in Wales and is a first generation American we welcome legal immigrants in this country I want our legal system to work better.

I wanted to be streamlined.

I wanted to be clear I don't think you have to shouldn't have to hire a lawyer to figure out how to get in this country -- I also think that we should give visas to people green cards rather the people who graduate with skills that we need.

People around the world with accredited degrees and in science and math get a green card -- to their diploma come to the US today.

We should make sure that our legal system works number two.

We're gonna have to stop illegal immigration.

Their four million people who -- waiting in line to get here legally.

Those who come here illegally take their place so I will not grant amnesty to those who come here illegally.

What I will do -- -- put in place and employment verification system.

And make sure that employers that hire people.

Who have come here illegally -- sanctioned for doing so.

I won't put in place.

The magnets for people coming here illegally so for instance I would not give driver's licenses to those that have come here illegally as a as a president what.

The kids.

-- of those -- came here illegally.

Those kids I think should have a pathway to become a a permanent resident of the United States.

And military service for instance is one way they would have that kind of pathway to become a permanent resident.

Now when the president ran for office.

He said that he put in place in his first year piece of legislation he filed a bill in his first year.

That would -- our immigration system protect legal immigration stop illegal immigration he didn't do it.

-- a Democrat house and Democrats senate supermajority in both houses.

Why did he fail to -- even promote legislation.

-- would -- provided an answer for those that want to come here illegally.

And for those that are here illegally today.

That's a question I think the the president will have a chance to answer right now.

But I look forward to it.

Was a -- The -- We are -- nation governments.

And they were just a few miles away from -- -- We all understand.

What this country.

Has become because talent from all around the world wants to come here.

People want to take risks.

People want to build on their dreams and make sure their kids haven't even bigger dreams than they had.

We're also nation of -- So what I've said is we didn't fix a broken immigration system and I've done everything that I -- on my own.

And sought cooperation from congress to make sure that we fix the system.

First thing we did was to streamline the legal immigration system to reduce the backlog make it easier simpler and cheaper for people who work.

Waiting in line.

Obeying the law to make sure they can come here and contribute to our country and that's good for our economic growth.

They'll start new businesses.

The make things happen to create jobs here in the United States.

Number two.

We do have to do what our border so we put more Border Patrol on than any time in history and the flow of undocumented workers -- crossed the border is actually lower than it's been forty years.

What I've also said is if we're -- Go after folks who are here illegally we should.

Do it smartly and go after folks were criminals gang bangers people who -- hurting the communities not after students.

And after folks who were here just because they're trying to figure out how to feed their families.

And that's what we've done.

And what -- also say it is for young people who come here.

Brought here oftentimes by their parents.

-- have gone to school -- pledge allegiance to the flag.

Think of this as their country understand themselves as Americans.

In every way except having papers we should make sure that we give them pathway to citizenship.

And that's what I've done administratively -- governor Romney just said that.

No he wants to help those young people too but during the Republican primary he said I will veto the DREAM Act that would allow these young people.

To have access.

His main strategy during the Republican primary was to say we're gonna encourage self deportation.

Making life so miserable on folks that don't leave.

He called the Arizona law a model for the nation part of the Arizona law said that law enforcement officers could stop.

Folks because they suspected maybe -- looked like they might be -- document workers.

And check their papers.

You know what.

If my daughter.

Or yours.

Looks to somebody like they're not.

A citizen I don't want I don't want.

To empower somebody like that.

So we can.

Fix this system in a comprehensive way.

And when governor Romney says the challenges well Obama didn't -- it's not true.

I sat down -- Democrats and Republicans at the beginning of my -- and I said let's fix this system including senators previously supported on the Republican side.

But it's very hard for Republicans in congress to support.

Comprehensive immigration reform if their standard bearer has said that this is not something I'm interest in supporting.

Let me get the governor -- -- Mr.

President I'll let let's speak to if you let governor.

The idea of self deportation but they'll let let let me go back and speak to the points that the president made and and and let's get the correct.

I did not say that the Arizona law.

Was a model for the nation and that aspect I said that the which is a portion of the law which says that employers could be able to determine what the -- and -- -- illegally -- not illegally that that was a model for the nation that's number one number two.

I asked the president question I think Hispanics and immigrants all over the nation -- -- he was asked this on Univision the other day.

Why when you said you'd file legislation in your first year didn't should do it and get an answer.

He don't he doesn't answer that question he said the standard bear wasn't for I'm glad you thought it was a standard bearer for years ago but I wasn't.

It four years ago you said -- your first year he would file legislation in his first year.

I was just getting -- are licking my wounds from having been beaten by John McCain -- -- I was not the Stater bear.

-- my view is that this president should have honored his -- to to do is he said.

Now let me mention one other thing and that is self deportation -- let it let people make their own choice of what I was saying is we're not -- round up.

Twelve million people undocumented illegals.

And take them -- of the nation.

Instead -- -- people make their own choice.

And if they if they find that that they can't get the benefits here that they want.

And they can't and they can't find the job they want to know make a decision to go place where where they have better opportunities but I'm not in favor of rounding up people.

And in there and and taken them out of this country.

I am in favor is the president has said and I agree with him which is that if people committed crimes we've got to get him out of this country.

But imagine -- else the president said that was a moment ago I didn't get a chance to when he was describing.

The Chinese investments and -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Suck it I didn't believe that it missed this guy's a rubberized finish I'm I mean I can only ten minutes.

Running and having the president make it short and see all these people they've been waiting that we could just get -- make -- appointment.

Any investments I have over the last eight years have been managed by a blind trust.

And I understand they do include investments outside the United States including eight in Chinese companies Mr.

President if you -- -- your -- -- Have you looked at your pension I've gotta sort that mr.

Pettit president -- -- -- -- pension.

You know I I don't look my parents -- not as big as the Earth's orbit on -- think litigation.

-- the biggest of my -- at -- off let me give you some advice -- -- look at your pension you also investments in Chinese companies -- also investments outside the United States.

You also have investments through king much trash.

Where Croatia where I don't China image you're coming around literally cannot be completely off and I really thought about immigration and we are likely going to do what I like to make sure like it that had it -- -- -- thank you -- -- -- Make sure that we just -- cents up.

-- around he says he was referring Arizona as a model for the nation.

His top advisor on immigration is the guy who designed the Arizona law the entirety of not eat for ever fire a whole thing.

That's us policy.

And it's bad policy.

And it won't help us will.

Look.

But we think about immigration.

We have to understand there are folks all around the world.

Who still see America as the land of promise.

And they provide us energy and they provide us innovation.

And they start companies like Intel and goal and we want to encourage that.

Now we've got to make sure that we do it in the Smart way to comprehensive way and we make the legal system better.

But when we make this into -- did this a political issue.

And when we don't have bipartisan support I can deliver governor.

A whole bunch of Democrats to get conference of immigration reform done and I get it and I'm getting -- first -- can't we had not seen mr.

regret what team have you learned about latest issue.

At all mr.

and it's time for them to get serious on it this is only about an answer right don't go away because I'm.

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