Romney addresses immigration bill, abortion
MUSCATINE, Iowa — Jon Hatfield got what he came for Sunday during Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney’s stop in Muscatine.
“I want to see what his views are on illegal immigration,” Hatfield, of Muscatine, said before the event. “Why don’t we just enforce the laws we have?”
Immigration has been the No. 1 issue on Iowans’ minds, followed by the war on terrorism, during Romney’s estimated 25 visits to the state in the past year, he said during an interview with the Muscatine Journal.
The former Massachusetts governor and venture capitalist told a crowd of more than 200 gathered at The Rendezvous in Muscatine that he wants to increase border controls and develop a system which would verify the status of legal immigrants.
“I like legal immigration. I think having people come here from other countries with their skill and education enhances America. But I want to stop illegal immigration. I want to secure the border,” Romney said, interrupted by applause.
A woman in the crowd asked Romney about his feelings on an immigration bill the Senate could debate.
“Can you tell us what you do like about this bill and what you don’t like and how you would fix it?” she asked.
Romney said the bill incorporates border security and employment verification measures, which he advocates.
“But there’s something I don’t like in the bill,” Romney said. “There’s something called a Z visa and the idea behind the Z visa is everybody who’s here illegally today is given a Z visa that allows them to stay here for the rest of their lives. But that strikes me as being amnesty and unfair.”
Romney said the visa would give special treatment to people who came here illegally over people who have pursued or are waiting to gain citizenship through legal channels.
Romney also clarified his stance on abortion, after the campaigns of fellow Republican candidates Arizona Sen. John McCain and Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback said Romney flip-flopped on the issue once he chose to make a run for the White House.
“I want to make it very clear I am pro-life. I’m not going to apologize to anybody for having become pro-life,” Romney said in response to a question from a woman in the audience.
Romney said he changed his views after considering experimental embryo cloning.
“As a civilized society we must respect the sanctity of human life,” he said.
Romney visited Muscatine on the second day of a three-day trip through Iowa.
Jennifer Meyer at can be reached at (563) 262-0525 or at jennifer.meyer@muscatinejournal.com.