Campaign Notes from Iowa: Mitt Not a DREAMER! Perry Stumps With Sheriff Joe

The Iowa caucuses are coming up and the Republican Presidential candidates are trying to be tougher-than-the-next candidate on immigration.

Reuters reports that “Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney said on Saturday he would veto a proposal granting U.S. citizenship to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the country as children, a pledge that won hearty applause from Iowa conservatives he hopes to win over.” In the past, I have commented that Romney sounds much like President Obama on immigration. But, even while increasing removals to record levels, the Obama administration has steadfastly supported some version of the DREAM Act.

While Romney’s move may be surprising, Texas Governor Rick Perry’s is truly incredible. Perry brought Maricopa County (Arizona) Sheriff Sheriff Joe Arpaio to stump with himn in Iowa. As we previously reported on ImmigrationProf, the U.S. Department of Justice earlier this month released a report on the investigation of Arpaio’s office. The facts — and rampant and flagrant — violations of civil rights of immigrants and Latinos is nothing less than shocking — racial profiling, police brutality, racial slurs, discriminatory detention practices, etc. For years, Sheriff Arpaio has conducted what has been characterized as a “reign of terror” against Latinos.

By embracing Sheriff Joe, it appears that Perry is not worried about alienating the Latino vote. Isn’t bringing Arpaio to stump for a candidate akin to inviting Sheriff Bull Connor to campaign with a candidate in the 1950s? In any event, Arpaio, who in introducing Perry referred to Iowans as “Buckeyes” and was gently booed, probably did not help the Perry campaign much.

UPDATE (1/6): Governor Perry has named Sheriff Joe as chair of Perry’s Arizona campaign.  

KJ