Gingrich faced harsh criticism after suggesting that some illegal immigrants with close ties to their community should not be deported. Gingrich's says "Several of my friends were explicitly distorting what I said, even though they knew better. So I think it takes a few days to clarify that in fact what they are saying isn't true."
Under Gingrich's plan for immigration reform, the federal government would establish a system of local boards to determine whether illegal immigrants could be permitted to remain in the United States based on their ties to the community. Gingrich's say's it's based on the World War II model of draft boards where the local community selected who would be drafted and who wound not. "It requires
trusting citizens rather than bureaucrats. It's a jury system for local communities."
Gingrich added that he thought that immigrants eligible to stay should have spent at least 25 years in the country, have close ties to a community and a family, but predicted that most would voluntarily leave. But Gingrich also said, at the debate, that the Republican party is the party of family, and (we) can't rip families apart who have been here for 25 years.
On the Gingrich's website, there is a plan that outlines several steps that would need to be taken before implementing the local board plan:
Secure the border by January 1, 2014;
Make it easier to deport people; set up a guest-worker program;
Streamline the visa process;
Make English the official language of government;
Promote immigration among high-skilled foreign workers (especially those with skills in math and science);
Punish employers who hire illegal immigrants;
Require immigrants to take a comprehensive test on American history;
Then set up the boards to determine who can stay and who should leave.
"I have a very clear position," Gingrich says,....... "I have not suggested amnesty for 11 million people.....I am for a path to legality for those people who's ties are so deeply into America and would truly be tragic to try and rip their family apart."
No matter what you think of Gingrich's plan or position, I think he is being honest and practical, as opposed to other conservatives' calls to find, detain then deport up to 25 million illegal aliens. Doing that is just not practical. What say you?
