Obama Scoffs at Deportations

  Washington Times

Obama Scoffs at Deportations

Thursday, April 3, 2008 

SCRANTON, Pa. — Sen. Barack Obama told voters worried about illegal immigration yesterday that deporting 12 million people is not "realistic," calling it an "honest conversation" during one of his final stops while trying to make inroads with Pennsylvania's blue-collar workers.

A man asked the presidential hopeful what he would do about border security. In his response, Mr. Obama posed the question about what to do with the people here illegally, prompting someone in the audience of his town hall forum to shout "Send them home!"

"We are not going to send them home," the Illinois Democrat argued. "I want us to have an honest conversation about this."

Mr. Obama said many illegals have "settled," "bought property" and have children who are U.S. citizens. He said the country would have to devote "all our law enforcement resources to rounding up people without papers, even if they weren't causing any trouble," and once that's done, the country would have to "empty out our jails."

That would force police to ignore killers and carjackers and instead be "worried about the guy in the kitchen somewhere who's working in a restaurant," he said.

Many in the audience at the Dunmore Community Center cheered his response, and Mr. Obama continued by noting, "Not all of 'em are from Mexico," because some are from Ireland, Poland or Nigeria.

"Imagine what that would look like, basically detaining, putting in jail 12 million people. We're not going to do that," he said.

He said instead they should be required to register, pay a fine, pay back taxes and learn English over time to "earn legal status," drawing loud applause.