In a possible sign of a shift in attitude for Republicans on the controversial subject of immigration reform, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus this week offered public rebukes on controversial remarks regarding immigrants made by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, and former GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
According to Business Insider, Priebus said the comments made by Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts, during the 2012 presidential election were "horrific."
On the campaign trail, Romney talked about implementing immigration laws so stringent that undocumented immigrants would "self-deport."
"Using the word 'self-deportation' - it's a horrific comment to make," Priebus said. "I don't think it has anything to do with our party. When a candidate makes those comments, obviously, it hurts us."
As Priebus answered questions from reporters this week regarding the Republican Party's progress in making inroads with Latino voters on the immigration issue, the RNC chairman also criticized remarks from rep. King, who made inflammatory remarks about the DREAM Act being a potential backdoor for drug smugglers to enter the U.S.
King has come under fire for stating that undocumented immigrants have "calves the size of cantaloupes" in order to transport "75 pounds of marijuana across the desert."
When asked about Rep. King's comments, Priebus said, "Well, of course, it's hurtful. Of course, it hurts. ... Just, not good."
However, Rep. King has not backed down from his remarks. In an interview with CNN this week, Rep. King criticized members of the GOP that he said would have agreed with his stance against the immigration bill-- being proposed on the House floor after passing the Senate--as being under a "spell."
"Last year, almost everybody in my conference would've agreed with me on this immigration issue," said King, as reported via the Huffington Post. "It seems as though after the presidential election, a spell's been cast over a good number of Republicans, and they seem to think the presidential election was about immigration."
Rep. King has been speaking on the road at length this past week on the subject of immigration reform, having spoken on Monday at a Tea Party rally in Virginia where he implied that Latin American immigrants come from a violent civilization that gets further violent the further south one moves.
"If you bring people from a violent civilization into a less-violent civilization, you're going to have more violence right? It's like pouring hot water into cold water, does it raise the temperature or not?" King said.
GOP Strategist Ana Navarro on "Meet the Press" recently blasted Rep. King for his comments.
"Congressman King should get some therapy for his melon fixation," she said. "I think there might be medication for that. I think he's a mediocre congressman with no legislative record and the only time he makes national press is when he comes out and says something offensive about the undocumented or Hispanics."
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