Romney: Obama immigration plan a stopgap

WASHINGTON, June 17 (UPI) -- Mitt Romney called President Obama's move to allow the children of illegal immigrants to remain in the United States a political stopgap.

Romney Sunday dismissed the proposal as a campaign Hail Mary aimed at improving his chances for re-election, and something he should have done years ago.

"I think the timing is pretty clear," Romney said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "If he really wanted to make a solution that dealt with these kids or with illegal immigration in America, then this is something he would have taken up in his first three and a half years, not in his last few months."

Obama last week announced the federal government would not seek the deportation of an estimated 800,000 young people who were brought into the United States as children with their parents over the years.

Romney said that if elected, he would probably not repeal the Obama plan but would craft a replacement plan that he said would deal with the immigration issue for the long term.

"First of all, we have to secure the border and we need have an employment verification system to make sure that those that are working here in this country are here legally," Romney said. "And then with regards to these kids who were brought in by their parents through no fault of their own, there needs to be a long-term solution so they know what their status is."

The Republican presidential contender spent Father's Day with his family on the campaign trail in Ohio.

At a morning pancake breakfast at Mapleside Farms in Brunswick attended by several thousand people despite rain, the former Massachusetts governor said electing him president this fall would be "a turning point" that would lead to a resurgent America, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported.

His son, Matt, told the crowd his father "taught me how to be a father and husband" and the candidate's wife, Ann, said the family "as mothers and fathers" are worried about the future being better for children.

Gwynetta High of Medina said she expects Romney to defeat Democratic incumbent Barack Obama in November and explained why she is a strong supporter, the newspaper said.

"I like his views. I like his politics," she said." I think he had the intelligence and background to pull us out of this mess we're in."