Our newest declared candidate for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012, Governor Rick Perry (R-TX) hopes to earn the support of Republican conservatives and the tea-parties but his immigration policies have not matched those of either group of voters.
As Texas Governor he supported a statewide law providing for in-state tuition for illegal immigrants – a federal version of which was opposed by most Republicans in Congress. His moderate views have won him support from a solid share of Hispanics (he took 38 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2010, according to exit polls) and would likely help him in a general election. But like George W. Bush, Perry has taken positions have fueled criticism from many immigration hardliners within his own party.
In 2001, Perry signed the Texas DREAM Act, which allowed children of illegal immigrants to receive in-state tuition at the state’s universities. In a speech at the time, he underscored the need for children from all backgrounds to receive a quality education.
“We must say to every Texas child learning in a Texas classroom, `We don’t care where you come from, but where you are going, and we are going to do everything we can to help you get there,’” he said at the time. “And that vision must include the children of undocumented workers. That’s why Texas took the national lead in allowing such deserving young minds to attend a Texas college at a resident rate. Those young minds are a part of a new generation of leaders; the doors of higher education must be open to them. The message is simple: Educacion es el futuro, y si se puede.”
While the economy is likely to be the main issue of the 2012 presidential campaign, immigration remains a heated subject among many conservatives. It gives rise to the issue of his credibility in his attempt to convince Republicans that he is the down-the-line conservative he claims to be.
