America’s Voice
Immigration Solutions Now

President George W. Bush in Politico on December 16, 2008 spoke about the need to rebuild the GOP brand.  He said the party needs to embrace reform and broaden the party’s outreach, especially to Hispanics. Looking back at the heated immigration debate of 2006, Bush said Republicans came off as “anti-Latino.” 

President George W. Bush as quoted by the Washington Post on January 12, 2009, said in an interview with “Fox News Sunday” the previous day that “[The Republican Party] should be open-minded about big issues like immigration reform, because if we're viewed as anti-somebody -- in other words, if the party is viewed as anti-immigrant -- then another fellow may say, “Well, if they're against the immigrant, they may be against me.”

President George W. Bush told the Associated Press that the divisive immigration debate created an image of his party that was "Republicans don't like immigrants.

Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), stated on NBC's "Meet the Press" on November 9, 2009 that "the very divisive rhetoric of the immigration debate set a very bad tone for our brand as Republicans...there were voices within our party, frankly, which if they continue with that kind of rhetoric, anti-Hispanic rhetoric, that so much of it was heard, we're going to be relegated to minority status."

Karl Rove in Newsweek on November 15, 2008 said, “Hispanics dropped from 44 percent Republican in 2004 to 31 percent in 2008. The GOP won't be a majority party if it cedes the young or Hispanics to Democrats. Republicans must find a way to support secure borders, a guest-worker program and comprehensive immigration reform that strengthens citizenship, grows our economy and keeps America a welcoming nation. An anti-Hispanic attitude is suicidal. As the party of Lincoln, Republicans have a moral obligation to make our case to Hispanics, blacks and Asian-Americans who share our values. Whether we see gains in 2010 depends on it.”

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told the New York Times Magazine in an interview published November 13, 2008: “I was a major proponent of the temporary-worker program and finding some way to normalize the status for these people. I think that it goes to the core of who we are. I hear some people talking about, well, maybe there should be a timeout on legal immigration, check your last name and see whether or not it came over on the Mayflower. Improving the economic conditions that would allow people who are clearly ambitious — if they’re going to walk across the desert to get here, they’re ambitious people — improving the capability of those people to stay home and contribute is the last piece of that puzzle. Comprehensive immigration reform is the one thing I wish we’d been able to do, and it’s going to have to be done, and I hope it’s done soon.”

William Kristol on FOX News Sunday, November 9, 2008, said that “There’s been a lot of self-inflicted damage by Republicans. Hispanics—let’s take one group. Some political scientist did some calculations and told me that if Hispanics had voted in 2008 as they had done in 2004, McCain would have carried Florida, Nevada, and New Mexico. Totally self-inflicted wound by House Republicans, thinking, ‘Hey, let’s be really tough on immigration and let’s demagogue and let’s not work with President Bush to pass legislation.’”

Republican pollster Whit Ayers said in the Arizona Capitol Times."The Hispanic vote is probably the most important swing-voter group in the American electorate over the next decade…Virtually everybody believes that America should control its borders. That's true of Hispanics and non-Hispanics. The difference is what happens to the Hispanics that are currently residing in America and the tone that is used to discuss their fate. It is very difficult to imagine Republicans performing competitively among Hispanic voters if prominent Republicans are demonizing Hispanics and threatening to throw 12 million of them out of the country.”

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), in CBS News on November 18, 2008: "We have a very, very serious problem.  It was the tone of the debate.  The tone of some Republicans was offensive to the vast majority of Hispanics.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), in the Washington Post on November 14, 208: “If the administration wants to move forward with immigration again, I stand ready to do that."

Frank Guerra, Hispanic media adviser for the McCain campaign, said in Hispanic Business on November 19, 2008, that Hispanic Republicans, "were turned off by the [Republican] discourse,” and "the way Hispanics were being demonized." Mr. Guerra said that Republicans need to address their immigration discourse and stance and “it needs to be done in a way that does not alienate Hispanics who are here and who are voting…Because if they don't turn that sentiment around, they will continue to get this kind of low margin in the vote."

Hector Barajas, communications director for the California Republican Party said in Hispanic Business on November 19, 2008, “Immigration is a very important issue for Latinos. Every Latino, whether you are a U.S. citizen, whether you are the second generation, we all tend to know someone who has gone through the immigration maze."

Del. C. Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah, Member of Virginia Commission on Immigration, and “staunchly anti-illegal immigration” Member of House of Delegates), in the Washington Post on November 24, 2008: "I can't totally disagree that some people are leery of the issue, because maybe it wasn't the wedge issue that some thought it would be.”

Jim Harper, from the Cato Institute on November 24, 2008: “The political prescription going forward is clear. Anti-immigrant groups have vocal cords, but they don’t have the voters. There is little risk to Democrats from squelching “internal enforcement” programs like E-Verify. E-Verify reeks of anti-immigrant animus, and it burdens the business sector with time-wasting red tape.”

Jon Larson, Republican candidate for Kentucky’s District 6 Congressional seat said in the Lexington Herald Leader, “…the situation will continue to be bleak until we right our ships. Democrats can expect to get more than 90 percent of African-American and about 70 percent of Hispanic votes until we change our tunes.” When discussing the Latino vote, he said “Hispanic-American citizens, our largest minority, have reason to feel that they have been targeted for discrimination, along with these immigrants. Stop it. Republicans once realistically sought their support with our presidential candidate who had a ‘compassionate’ interest in the welfare of Hispanics, like his own sister-in-law.  Join with me in welcoming Hispanics, native-born or immigrants, inviting them into our councils, into the melting pot of the descendants of wretched, weary, poor America-seekers like ourselves.”

“[S]top being [misguided] on immigration. We are alienating huge parts of the electorate, we are turning our primaries into single issue 'hate' contests and ignoring the single fastest growing bloc of voters in the country,” said a Republican consultant with decades of experience to National Journal’s Charlie Cook on December 2, 2008.

Rick Davis, Chief Executive Officer of the 2008 John McCain for President campaign said at a 2008 post election panel on December 11, 2008, the Republican Party has "got to change its attitude versus Hispanics" in order to win in the future. Given the "really crazy things said on talk radio" in the name of the GOP, Davis said, "I don't blame Hispanics for not voting for us.  California, Colorado, Texas, Florida – we can't win in these states any more.”

Mitt Romney, former presidential candidate and Governor of Massachusetts, told The Hill on April 1, 2009, that he believes that one way to attract more minorities to the GOP is to pass immigration reform before the next election, saying the issue becomes demagogued by both parties on the campaign trail.  “We have a natural affinity with Hispanic-American voters, Asian-American voters,” he said.

Colin Powell said in an interview with CNN on December 11, 2008, “I think the party has to take a hard look at itself," Powell said in the interview, which was taped Wednesday. "There is nothing wrong with being conservative. There is nothing wrong with having socially conservative views — I don't object to that. But if the party wants to have a future in this country, it has to face some realities. In another 20 years, the majority in this country will be the minority.”

Alberto Gonzales said in an interview with Ruben Navarrette on December 12, 2008, “The Republican Party has lost ground in attracting Hispanics and, given the tremendous growth of the Hispanic population, it presents a real challenge. ... Obviously, the tone has to change on certain issues like immigration.”

Grover Norquist responded to National Journal in a Q&A on January 15, 2009, when they asked how the right-of-center media structure is developing, and the role of blogs.  He responded by saying “I think that the radio talk shows that were so helpful for the center-right in 1993, '94, '95 became destructive in some ways in 1998 with the focus on [Bill] Clinton's sex life. I think they did something similar to us in the last decade with this focus on immigration. Beating up on immigrants is endlessly fascinating on radio talk shows and does not move a single vote for a Republican candidate anywhere in the country. In fact, it loses you votes.” National Journal followed up asking if Republicans are going to move back toward [his] position on immigration.  “I think that it's necessary. Can I guarantee it? No. However, the history of this is clear in terms of elections. In 2006, we ran as the party that is going to deport your relatives and build a wall. How did that work out?”

John Feehery, former top adviser to then-House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, said to the Washington Post on January 28, 2009, “I think we're becoming a regional party.  It seems like we only want to appeal to Southerners. We seem too far to the right, and I think we need to have a better understanding of principles that appeal to people in all 50 states.”

While talking about a meeting with Senator John McCain, Senator John Ensign (R-Nev.) raised the topic of the GOP and Latinos to The Hill.  “It was discussed big time,” said Ensign. “We have to reach out to Hispanics. We need to go on Hispanic media much more.”

During his mayoral election acceptance speech, Mayor Michael Bloomberg stated on November 4, 2009, that “[he’ll] offer more immigrant adults English-language classes so they can fully contribute to our economy. And [he’ll] continue to fight for real immigration reform in Washington because Nueva York es una ciudad donde adoremos todos las culturas.”

Dan Bartlett, former President George W. Bush’s White House Communications Director, said in an interview with the Texas Tribune on November 3, 2009, that “based on the previous debate we had on immigration under George W. Bush nationally, and based on where candidates in the Republican Party position themselves statewide and locally, is that we are handing over politics, the power of seat of government.”  He continued, “I think we are taking positions on issues, such as on the immigration debate, that is setting the [GOP] back many many years.”

Sarah Palin said in an interview with Glenn Beck on FOX News January 13, 2010, that “immigrants built this country and I think Republicans, conservatives are at fault when we allow the other side to capture this immigration issue and try toturn this issue into something negative for Republicans.  I think [Republicans] need to recognize that immigrants built this great country, there are rules to follow if you want to be apart of this great country and let’s make sure people are following those rules, but let’s welcome this.”

A senior unnamed Republican aide told Politico on January 15, 2010, that “The whole reason some people on the Democratic side view immigration as a great issue is because there is a side of the Republican Party that frankly cannot help itself on the issue.  They go ballistic, and it comes across as anti-Hispanic — that’s not what they intend, but that’s the way it is perceived.”

Former Bush-Cheney Campaign Chairman and RNC head Ken Mehlman in Politico on May 1st, 2007: “Reaching out to Hispanics is critical to our future. The fastest-growing, and most conservative, segment of the population are natural Republicans. The question is whether we will reach out and welcome these new voters into our ranks. While I don't yet speak Spanish, there is one phrase I memorized as Republican National Committee chairman: "Mi partido es su partido." ("My party is your party.")”

Ed Gillespie, former RNC Chairman, told the Washington Post in February 2010 that Bush received 54 percent of the non-Hispanic white vote in 2000 and finished in a dead heat with Al Gore. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) got 55 percent of that vote in 2008 and lost the election by seven percentage points. "If the current voting percentages among white, black, Asian and Hispanic stay the same, the Republican nominee will lose by 14 points in 2020. We have to be more competitive."

Richard Nadler, the late conservative commentator and president of the America’s Majority Foundation, analyzed the role of immigration in ninety competitive House races in 2008 found that: “Immigration was a wedge issue benefiting the Democratic Party, but not the GOP.” Nadler also wrote in National Review on February 23, 2009, “At some point, conservatives must reflect on how many allies, and how many issues, we are willing to sacrifice in a fey and futile attempt to get field workers, busboys, and nannies out of the country. The steady drumbeat of restrictionist defeat invites — no, requires — conservatives to revisit a concept we have glibly reviled: comprehensive immigration reform. The relevant question is no longer whether we want it, but what we want from it: what forms of border security, crime control, and employment verification. Every hour we postpone a border reform that respects the interests of employers and Hispanics, our entire agenda suffers.”

Former Congressman Henry Bonilla (R-TX) in the Washington Post on February 21, 2010: “"If you don't go out and bring more Hispanics to our party, the math isn't there to win, no matter what the other side does…If they're too blind to recognize that, it's their own selves doing them in."

Republican consultant Whit Ayers in the Washington Post on February 21, 2010: “The numbers don't lie. If Republicans don't do better among Hispanics, we're not going to be talking about how to get Florida back in the Republican column, we're going to be talking about how not to lose Texas."

Michael Steele, RNC Chairman, in the Washington Post in February 2010: the vitriol on immigration "harkens back, quite frankly, to the Southern strategy that the Republicans embraced in the 1960s, causing black Republicans to abandon the party. A lot of stuff got miswired and screwed up in that debate. A lot of hotheads jumped in," he said of the immigration fight. "We have an obligation and an opportunity to reengage in that discussion and do a lot better than we did the last time."

Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) said in a press conference in New Hampshire on March 30, 2010, “I think it’s a good time to do [immigration reform]… I’ve always felt that we need a few basic things. First, we need to secure the southern border… Secondly, we need to make sure employers higher people who are here legally… Thirdly, we need a guest worker program... Fifthly, we need to address the fact that there’s some, who knows how many, 12 to 15 million people who are here illegally. Without giving them a path to citizenship, we’ve got to give them a capacity to come out from behind the bushes and be here in visible ways.”