New Mexico governor Susana Martinez slammed Texas governor Rick Perry over his stance on immigration reform, saying the Texas Republican’s immigration plan will do little to address the issue.
“It is not comprehensive reform to put people who are here illegally, who violated the law, and put them in front of the line for those folks who have been waiting and doing all the right things to come to the United States, to come here legally, and/or to become a citizen. We cannot allow those folks to just jump the line,” the New Mexico governor said Thursday in an interview with Laura Ingraham.
The New Mexico Republican noted that Mr. Perry’s support of comprehensive immigration reform, including the DREAM Act, may cost him support in the 2012 Republican presidential primary.
“I don’t support piecemeal legislation such as the DREAM Act,” Ms. Martinez noted.
The New Mexico governor’s comment came just hours before Mr. Perry addressed the issue in a Wednesday night debate in California.
Speaking before a crowd of Republican voters, Mr. Perry placed blame squarely on the Obama administration, saying Texas has requested additional troops for the border.
“For the President of the United States to go to El Paso Texas and say the border is safer than its ever been, either he has some of the poorest intel in the history of this country or he was an abject liar to the American people,” said Mr. Perry. “It is not safe on that border.”
