Romney Flashback: Illegal Aliens "Should Be Able" To Get Citizenship

(Real Clear Politics) - At Tuesday's GOP debate hosted by CNN/Heritage Foundation/AEI, Mitt Romney accused Newt Gingrich of supporting "amnesty" when he said illegal immigrants who have been in the U.S. for many years should have a path to legalization.

"Let's be humane in enforcing the law without giving them citizenship but by finding a way to create legality so that they are not separated from their families," Gingrich said about illegal immigrants that have been in the U.S. for man years and have ties to the community.

"Look, amnesty is a magnet. If people who come here illegally are going to get to stay" that will encourage more people to come illegally," Romney said about Gingrich's view on how to deal with illegal immigrants.

However, in a 2007 interview with "Meet the Press," Mitt Romney said the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. should be able to obtain citizenship at some point.

"My own view is consistent with what you saw in the Lowell Sun, that those people who had come here illegally and are in this country -- the 12 million or so that are here illegally -- should be able to sign up for permanent residency or citizenship," Romney said in the interview with Tim Russert.

Legalization, which is not amnesty, is not as generous as the outright citizenship Romney advocated in 2007.