John Kasich, another Republican presidential nomination candidate, has defended undocumented immigrants, saying that the millions of such people currently living in the United States are making a significant contribution to the nation as a whole. Kasich, who is a second-term governor in the state of Ohio, made the comments during his latest appearance in New Hampshire.
There are currently 17 Republican presidential nomination candidates vying for the chance to take a run at the White House. Kasich is not one of the better known candidates; however, last week he gave a strong performance during a debate held in his home state, which has given him increased momentum although his stance on immigration may not endear him to some of the more conservative elements of his party.
In response to a question about undocumented immigrants being a burden, Kasich responded by saying: “A lot of these people who are here are some of the hardest working, God-fearing, family-oriented people you can ever meet”. Later Kasich told reporters that he is in favor of creating a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants already in the country and has not ruled out an immigration reform package that includes US citizenship.
Kasich added that the idea of deporting up to 12 million people from the United States was neither practical nor desirable, as many are significantly contributing to American society. His comments contrast starkly with fellow candidate Donald Trump but are more in line with the stance taken by former Florida governor Jeb Bush, who is also running for the nomination.