Romney to Push Complete Immigration Reform

Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor said if Mitt Romney were elected president, it would be very possible to have immigration reform. In an interview, Giuliani said if Romney were to be elected with a Congress that is ruled by the Republicans, then complete immigration reform would be passed.

The former New York mayor from 1994 to 2001 made the remarks in a Florida interview. He is currently in Florida campaign for the presumptive Republican presidential candidate.

Giuliani said that Romney would be humane and sensible with undocumented immigrants who are currently living in the country, who have complied with U.S. laws and are currently working. He compared it to the compassionate conservatism George W. Bush, the former U.S. President. Giuliani said the way to move forward with immigration reform was by stopping all illegal immigration and a solution that is sensible that a good president like Romney would be able to do.

However, during the Republican primaries, Romney had an iron-fisted approach towards immigration. He rejected any method of giving the illegal immigrants a path to become residents or citizens. He thought illegal immigrants should self-deport themselves, in other words, return to their homeland on their own.

He has shifted his stance to a softer position since he effectively secured the nomination from the GOP.

Hispanics are actively being courted by both Romney and Obama. The Hispanic vote looks to be crucial in at least four key battleground states including Nevada, New Mexico, Florida and Colorado.

Over 12.2 million Hispanics are expected to vote in November and to win the candidate will need to win a minimum of 40% of their vote.

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Spain cracks down on "poor" immigrants

Ministers were last night under pressure to tighten border controls for EU citizens after Spain demanded ‘proof of income’ from expats  hoping to live in the country.

The move – taken in response to the country’s economic crisis – was said by one Tory MP to have ‘driven a coach and horses’ through the EU’s cherished principle of the free movement of peoples, and immediately triggered calls for David Cameron to adopt tougher measures.

Madrid hopes to save more than €1 billion euros (£780 million) a year by clamping down on ‘economic migrants’ from other EU countries, including the UK.

A new ministerial order, slipped out by the Spanish government on July 9, states that any EU citizen living in Spain for more than three months must prove they will not become a financial burden on the State by producing a job contract or documents confirming they have enough money to support themselves.

If they are jobless, they must also show they are covered by health insurance. The decree, which potentially affects thousands of Britons seeking a new life in the country, declares that Spain will now adopt  a stricter interpretation of the ‘free movement’ principle.

The Spanish government has justified the measures by pointing to Article 7 of the 2004 EU directive on free movement, which gives EU member states the power to define it ‘without prejudice to national border controls’ – in other words, entry conditions can be imposed on other EU citizens by member governments.

The UK has also enacted the provision – and the Home Office insists that it does demand that EU citizens should not be ‘an unreasonable  burden on public funds’ before allowing them to stay in the UK.

However, Phil Woolas, who served as Immigration Minister between 2008 and 2010, told The Mail on  Sunday last night that the powers were almost never used.  He said: ‘We do have the powers  to deport EU citizens – but they are ignored by the British authorities. We should heed the Spanish example and change our approach.

It is only fair that we enforce the laws available to us and stop turning a blind eye to abuses by EU citizens.’

Mr Woolas revealed that when he was a Minister he tried to deport a group of Polish rough-sleepers who had set up camp  in Peterborough town centre – but was repeatedly told by officials that he had no powers to do so.

‘The idea that we check bank statements to ensure these people are not a burden is just nonsense,’ he said. ‘Freedom of movement is still the prevailing doctrine.’

The Spanish government admits in a preamble to the legislation that it has failed in the past to regulate immigration from within the EU.

This, it says, ‘has implied  a serious economic loss to Spain, especially because of the impossibility of guaranteeing the refund of expenditure caused by the provision of health  and social services to European citizens’.

Since 2007, EU citizens living in Spain for more than three months have had to register with the authorities, but there have been no checks on their financial situation.

British diplomats in Madrid are trying to establish how the rule change will affect the 400,000 Britons who have homes in Spain.

One Foreign Office source said: ‘We don’t yet know how much money a British citizen would be expected to have in their bank in order to qualify. It is all a bit unclear. Frankly, we think the Spanish could have handled this a little better.’

Last night Tory MP Douglas Carswell said he had written to Immigration Minister Damian Green to ask if the UK Government had the power to impose similar measures. ‘Spain’s decision to insist on medical insurance is a key idea – and if  introduced by us could reduce the burden on our services,’ he said.

‘The fact that the Home Office says these powers are already available to us suggests our failure to enforce them should be taken as an indictment of the mandarin class.’

Another Tory MP, James Clappison, said: ‘This move drives a coach and horses through the freedom of movement principle and we should take inspiration from it.’

Spain is in the grip of its worst  economic crisis since the Forties and is almost certain to require a bailout in the coming weeks.  Official figures released on Friday show that unemployment has soared to a record 5.7 million – a staggering 24.6 per cent of the workforce.

The centre-right government of prime minister Mariano Rajoy has introduced the new controls in an attempt to cut expenditure on health and social services. Health minister Ana Mato said recently that 700,000 foreigners had moved to Spain just to obtain free health care.

The country has become a favourite destination for ‘health tourists’ from other EU countries, attracted by short waiting lists, cheap treatment and excellent hospitals.

Under EU law, citizens of member states are entitled to receive health care in any member country. But Spanish authorities say their finances are being drained by the arrangement, with local media claiming Britons are the worst offenders.

In contrast to the Spanish regulations, EU citizens coming to live in Britain do not need to register or take out health insurance. And the only requirement on those not in work is that they should not become an ‘unreasonable burden’ on public funds. A spokesman for the Spanish Embassy in London said: ‘You either must hold a job or have the means to support yourself to ensure that you do not become a burden on the Spanish state.

‘Those people who do not hold a job would have to show that they have contracted a medical insurance service to cover them during their stay in Spain, and also that they have the appropriate means to support themselves and any other member of their families. Pensioners do not need medical insurance.’

A Foreign Office spokesman said: ‘This change simply brings Spain in line with many other EU countries. The British Embassy has issued guidance in English for British expatriates in Spain via its website. We understand the new rules will affect a relatively small number of expatriates.’

A UK Border Agency spokesman said: ‘EU nationals who want to stay in the UK for more than three months must have proof they are working, studying or are self-sufficient.  ‘Wherever we encounter someone breaking the rules, we will take steps to remove them.’

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