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Romney Supports Letting All Cubans Migrate To U.S.

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By MIKE SALINERO, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 28, 2007

TAMPA - Like other Republican presidential contenders, Mitt Romney favors a get-tough policy on illegal immigrants. But Romney's desire for tougher immigration enforcement doesn't apply to Cubans, who he says should be welcomed with open arms.

"I can tell you my inclination would be to say as many Cubans as want to come here should come in," Romney said in an interview Tuesday with The Tampa Tribune editorial board.

In other Florida matters, the former Massachusetts governor said he favors the current 125-mile limit on oil drilling off the coast of Florida but does not support a national catastrophic insurance fund that would spread hurricane risk among states at low risk for a natural calamity.

Romney said he favors continuing the nation's Cuba policy, which restricts investment in the communist nation and prohibits U.S. citizens from visiting there except under narrow circumstances.

He was then asked about the "wet feet, dry feet" policy under which Cuban immigrants stopped by U.S. ships at sea are sent back to Cuba, but those who make it to dry ground are allowed to remain. They can later qualify for expedited permanent residence status.

Romney replied that Cuban Americans are exemplary citizens who have brought "great vitality, skills and energy to the American experience."

"In my opinion, the more the merrier," he said.

Romney's views on Cubans stand in sharp contrast to his proposals for dealing with other immigrants. Earlier in the meeting, he called for tighter border security, identity cards for immigrants proving their legal status and forced repatriation of illegal immigrants.

Cuban Americans have been a coveted voting bloc in past presidential elections, considered crucial in winning Florida's 27 electoral votes. Candidates have been loath to buck the Miami-based Cuban community, which is strongly anti-Castro and has in the past rejected softening American policy toward the communist nation.

Romney said on matters dealing with Cuba, he depends on advice from prominent members of Florida's Cuban American community, such as U.S. Reps. Lleana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart, and Al Cardenas, a former state Republican chairman and one of Romney's leading Hispanic supporters.

"At this stage none of them have suggested that we abandon that policy and develop a new one," Romney said.

Regarding offshore oil drilling, Romney said he supports action taken by Congress in 2006 that allows drilling in a lease area 125 miles off Florida's Panhandle. The action ended a 25-year ban on drilling off Florida's coast in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Addressing a question about the impact of high property insurance rates on Florida's economy, Romney said he would like to investigate options for expanding the private insurance market before he supports a national catastrophic insurance fund, an idea endorsed by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist.

If he were to support a multistate catastrophe fund, Romney said, it should include only states at high risk for natural disasters.

"I do not believe that you're going to hear the nation say we're going have other states subsidize states that are high risk," he said.

Romney castigated Washington politicians for not reining in entitlements, which he said account for 60 percent of federal spending.

Romney said he supports the federal prescription drug benefit pushed by President Bush, a program estimated to cost $1.2 trillion in the coming decade.

Romney said his 25 years in the private sector make him uniquely qualified to lead a nation facing what he calls a "critical inflection point" in its history. Faced with Islamic terrorism from abroad and economic uncertainty at home, the United States stands on a precipice from which it could fall, under the wrong leadership, into the ranks of second-tier nations, he said.

"I believe it's essential to have someone go to Washington who knows how to solve problems and get the job done and who is not a politician," Romney said. "I don't think politicians can solve the problems we've got and get us on the right track again."

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at msalinero@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-8303.

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