One of the Republicans running in the South Carolina primary for Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) said he is for self-deportation of immigrants who have entered the United States illegally.
“I’m supportive of self-deportation,” state Sen. Lee Bright (R-SC) said Thursday at a tea party event in South Carolina. “And if they don’t want to leave, if they break the law, I’m for taking them out and sending them back to wherever they came from because basically they need to observe our laws. So if they break the law I’m in favor of us deporting. If it comes down to a situation, I’m for self-deportation. I don’t believe in rewarding people for breaking the law.”
During the 2012 presidential campaign Mitt Romney floated self-deportation as part of his platform on immigration reform. That stance was met with wide criticism, including some that came from Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.
Graham was a member of the so-called Gang of Eight bipartisan senators focused on passing a comprehensive immigration reform plan, despite strong opposition from tea party Republicans.
(h/t: Think Progress)
Watch the video of Bright’s comments below:
