Clinton defends Perry for his immigration stance

November 8, 2011

Bill Clinton has defended potential Republican presidential nominee, Texas governor, Rick Perry, for his moderate views on immigration, stating that Perry's granting of in-state college tuition to children of illegal immigrants was "one of the best things he did." The Democrat former President launched his defense of the Texas governor in an interview with USA Today, stating that the governor had done what was best for the population of his state as a whole.
"What would they like?" Clinton asked during the interview. "Would they like the kid to stand on a corner and sell dope or something?"

Perry has come in for significant criticism for his attitudes towards immigration, which lean more toward constructive inclusion than most of his other Republican colleagues and all of his fellow competitors for the presidential nomination.

Perry was the first governor in the US to introduce in-state tuition rates for the children of undocumented immigrants in 2001 - a move that has inspired a number of other Democrat governors to implement the same system in their states.

Perry experienced an immediate surge in popularity when he entered the race to run against President Barack Obama in the 2012 election, but has been steadily attacked by his competitors - including former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney - for his stance on immigration. It is thought that his moderate immigration views could become a decisive factor in the success of his campaign.