Romney: Illegal immigrants lack "skill or experience"

"I'd love to bring in more legal immigrants that have skill," Romney says in the secret fundraiser videos

Published September 20, 2012 5:40PM (EDT)

In another clip from the secret Mitt Romney fundraiser video, Mitt tells supporters that illegal immigrants who are allowed to stay in the country generally "have no skill or experience."

Elise Foley from the Huffington Post flags that Romney, who has been aggressively courting the Hispanic vote, said in the May fundraiser: "Gosh, I'd love to bring in more legal immigrants that have skill, and knowledge, I'd like to staple a green card to every Ph.D. in the world and say, 'Come to America, we want you here.' Instead, we make it hard for people who get educated here or elsewhere to make this their home."

"Unless, of course, you have no skill or experience," Romney added, " in which case you're welcome to cross the border and stay here for the rest of your life. It's very strange."


By Jillian Rayfield

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com.

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2012 Elections Barack Obama Illegal Immigrants Immigration Reform Mitt Romney