| Contrary to most of his issue positions, Rick Perry is somewhat of a moderate on border security. Or at least he was.
When it comes to immigration and the border, he's supported some fairly moderate and pragmatic policies, like allowing undocumented Texans to receive in-state tuition at public universities through the 2001 Dream Act. But now that Perry is trying to secure the votes of the right-wing Republican base nationwide, and especially in states more hostile to immigrants, he's trading his formerly moderate stance for newly minted hardline positions.
As governor, and until as recently as September 3 of this year, Perry opposed efforts to build a militarized fence along the border. He recognized that not only is it costly, but also would not actually prevent illegal movement across the border. By October, Perry changed his mind.
In light of the news of an Iranian-backed terror plot in Mexico, Perry has called for a militarized border fence, complete with predator drones. And he recently argued that no meaningful immigration reform can take place until the border is completely secure, in stark contrast to his views from September. He also now supports sending U.S. Troops to Mexico to combat narco-terrorism - against Mexico's wishes.
As Perry shifts from governing a state with a Latino population nearing 40% to reaching out to the Tea Party base in places where xenophobes far outnumber recent immigrants, it's a gamble to predict where Perry's position on border security may go next. |
