George P. Bush Urges Immigration Action

NEW YORK TIMES

By Jeff Zeleny

July 10, 2012

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/10/george-p-bush-urges-immigration-action/

George P. Bush said on Tuesday that “it'’s never too late” for Mitt Romney to take a leadership role in the immigration debate, but he acknowledged Republicans were outflanked by President Obama'’s election-year decision to allow hundreds of illegal immigrants to remain in the country without fear of deportation.

"“Governor Romney had an opportunity to get in front of the president on the issue,"” said Mr. Bush, 36, the son of former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida. “"But the president clearly has taken the initiative on it."”

Mr. Bush, who is urging younger voters to increase their participation in the 2012 election through his political action committee called MavPAC, said he hoped Mr. Romney would still “formulate a plan — a more comprehensive plan” on immigration. But he added, "“Leading up to Election Day, it'’s very difficult to get anything so controversial through, so we’ll see.”"

The White House announced a policy last month that would clear the way for young illegal immigrants to come out of the shadows, work legally and obtain driver’'s licenses and many other documents they have lacked. The temporary reprieve could benefit at least 800,000 young people.

The decision fell short of Mr. Obama'’s pledge to pursue a broad overhaul of the nation'’s immigration laws during his first term. Yet Republicans concede the move is likely to help the president'’s appeal to Hispanic voters who could play an influential role in the presidential race.

Mr. Bush, who was on a trip to Washington to promote his political action committee, told reporters over breakfast that the Republican Party needed to broaden its outreach to younger voters and search for an “honest solution to the immigration problem.” He said both parties should commit to a bipartisan plan that recognized a “need for labor in our country and the need of enforcing, for purposes of national security, our immigration laws.”

Like his father, Mr. Bush is a fluent Spanish speaker who has been an outspoken advocate for overhauling the nation'’s immigration laws. His mother, Columba Bush, was born in Mexico.

"“Regretfully, this has become an issue that has ended and created political careers,"” Mr. Bush said. He added, "“This is such a complicated question, it'’s not going to be solved by one party alone.”"

Mr. Bush, the nephew of George W. Bush and grandson of George H.W. Bush, is a lawyer and managing partner of an investment firm in Texas. He and Jay Zeidman, who worked in the Bush White House, are national co-chairmen of MavPac, a political action committee to help younger political candidates and to increase activism among younger voters.

The committee is focusing its work on Ohio and Florida, two key battleground states in the 2012 presidential election.

Mr. Bush, who has worked on the campaigns of his father and uncle, demurred when reporters asked whether he intended to enter the family business of politics. He said, "“I'’d be open to it. I just don'’t have an overwhelming urge to do it right now.”"