Some analysts blame former presidential runner up Mitt Romney's huge loss due to his hard stance on illegal immigration. Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach rejects this idea stating that Romney's loss did not occur because of this. If anything, Romney's hard stance on illegal immigration helped independents choose a side and helped Democrats clearly identify where they stand on important issues such as amnesty.
Kobach is responsible for helping set up various immigration laws in Arizona and Alabama as well as serving as an informal advisor on Romney's campaign. He served as head chairman of the Republican Party in Overland Park, Kansas where he made his stance on immigration clear. Kobach is a proponent of self deportation and said, “If you really want to create a job tomorrow, you can remove an illegal alien today.”
While various Republican committees were eager to get Kobach on board with drafting stricter immigration laws in their states, activist groups and Latinos quickly turned away from the Republican party's response to the broken U. S. immigration system. Kobach has also been heavily involved in drafting the controversial Arizona SB 1070 law which has been known to be the strictest and most anti-immigration law passed in its history. Kobach represented the state of Arizona as the law was appealed and prevailed. Out of the four parts of the law, 3 of the 4 provisions were struck down with the third and most controversial one prevailing. This provision, also nicknamed as the "papers please" provision requires that law enforcement verify the immigration status of anyone stopped under reasonable suspicion that they are in the U. S. illegally. This law has received backlash nationwide as people fear this will subject individuals to racial profiling and discrimination based off their physical appearance.
There is no doubt that Romney's hard lined views on immigration alienated many voters especially the Latino community that has a large impact on the election results due to their large numbers. With the Republican Party realizing the importance of voter support, many previous hard lined politicians have taken a more moderate stance in immigration. In fact, the idea of "self deportation" has completely been eliminated from the Republicans's immigration plan. Kobach may need to start taking on a more centered approach to prevent alienating himself from many voters who are afraid of extremist views and want nothing else than to fix the broken immigration system that is creating hardships for both American citizens and immigrants searching for a better life. If you have questions regarding applying for a visa, need help with deportation proceedings or immigration laws, please contact us at 314-961-8200 or visit our contact page.
