Perry Sticks to Pro-iIlegal Immigration Policy

In last night's debate GOP frontrunner Texas Gov. Rick Perry took a lot of hits, but when it came to immigration policy, he wasn't retreating or apologizing, according to thecaucus blog of nytimes.com.

As his fellow debaters criticized Perry for supporting legislation that allows
in-state college tuition for some illegal immigrants, he retorted: "The bottom line is that "it doesn't make any difference what the sound of your last name is. That is the American way — no matter how you got into that state, from the standpoint if your parents brought you there or what have you."

He added: "And that's what we've done in the State of Texas. And I'm proud that we are having those individuals be contributing members of our society rather than telling them, 'You go be on the government dole.'"

Pundits suggest that Perry may be setting himself up for the same kind of backlash that struck candidate Sen. John McCain in 2007. McCain's backing of a "pathway to citizenship" hit the wrong note with conservative donors.