[RichardW]

Try to avoid saying stupid things like “self-deportation.” That’s code for the Mexican illegals. Romney dug himself a hole right then and there and probably lost the election trying to get to the right of Perry.

This whole issue is so easily handled if we just had a guest worker program where people could come and go as necessary. These are the people work the produce fields, restaurants, yard work and all the crap work Americans won’t do.

[GeronL]

we have a work visa system

we have existing methods of gaining legal citizenship and legal residency

These people simply refuse to obey the law.

[driftless2]

That presumes that a sizable percentage of Hispanics, especially those of Mexican descent, even knew Romney said those words. I seriously doubt many of them did. To get a lot of Hispanic votes, the Republicans would almost have to be to the left of Obama on immigration. Even then I don't if it would work if they didn't offer the freebies the Dems do. Remember when Reagan legalized 3 million illegals in the eighties, the Pubbies received a smaller percentage of the Hispanic vote in the next election than they did in the previous.

Some people are always saying that if Republicans don't say the wrong things that supposedly offend all these winnable Hispanics, they'll start voting for Pubbies. I seriously doubt that. The simple fact is: many Hispanics like the idea of Big Government.