Ruben Navarrette : In the 2012 election , Mitt Romney was a backward voice on immigration . He criticized Rick Perry , Newt Gingrich for ideas that helped immigrants , Navarrette says . Most Republicans posed the same criticism , even at the cost of looking like hypocrites for contradicting their George W. Bush-era views in favor of expanding executive power . But now he is in favor of legalization and amnesty. This year , Romney is wisely calling on GOP to pass immigration reform . He says it 's the one smart way Republicans can respond to Obama 's executive action .
Ruben Navarrette : In the 2012 election , Mitt Romney was a backward voice on immigration . He criticized Rick Perry , Newt Gingrich for ideas that helped immigrants , Navarrette says . But now he is in favor of legalization and amnesty. This year , Romney is wisely calling on GOP to pass immigration reform . He says it 's the one smart way Republicans can respond to Obama 's executive action .