CHC CHAIR ON ROMNEY, KOBACH PARTNERSHIP

Washington D.C.: Chairman Charles A. Gonzalez (TX 20) released the following statement regarding the partnership between Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney and SB 1070 architect Kris Kobach and their plans for a nationwide implementation of Arizona’s anti-immigrant law.

"Mitt Romney's belief that Arizona's extreme immigration law, SB 1070, should be a nationwide model is disturbing and shows just how tone-deaf and disconnected he is to our country's fastest growing population. SB 1070 mandates that even legal immigrants carry proof of citizenship at all times and that local police can demand ‘papers’ at the most minor traffic stops. Frankly, it reveals a lot about someone's character when they enthusiastically support a law that legalizes the harassment of all Latinos, regardless of their legal status, and codifies ethnic profiling.

“In Alabama, we are already seeing the economic impact of extreme legislation, as the hardship in the agricultural community is spreading throughout the state. It is vital that immigration reform on a national scale take into account the important link between the economy and the immigrant community.

"Suggesting that we 'build a wall' demonstrates that Romney lacks a basic understanding of current immigration problems. The number of people who come to America via the U.S.-Mexico border has dropped down to levels last seen in the 1970s. With a 30-year low, now the real issue is how to address the undocumented worker who lives in the shadows rather than earning the pathway to citizenship.

“I hope Romney educates himself on the true nature of our immigration problem and does not continue this extreme and divisive rhetoric.”

###