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Mitt Romney Is Mexican-American Now as He Flip-flops on His Father and His Mexican “Roots”

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Mitt Romney’s father was born in Mexico. You may recall that NBC’s Rock Center did an in-depth report on Romney’s Mexican family ties last month. And, we’ve all been regaled by “Mexican Mitt.” Apparently, Mitt is now adopting the heritage of his twitter namesake.  Like so many things with Mitt, Romney’s embrace of his Mexican roots is an evolving part of an evolving candidate, as our friends over at SEIU and Priorities USA have pointed out in their recent ad campaign.

On Wednesday, Univision’s Jorge Ramos asked Romney about his Mexican roots:

Univision’s Jorge Ramos asked Mitt Romney today whether he considers himself Mexican-American. Romney’s father, George, was born in Mexico.

Romney laughed off the question, saying: “I would love to be able to convince people of that, particularly in a Florida primary.”

Pressed further by Ramos in a state where candidates are targeting the Hispanic vote, Romney said: “I don’t think people would think I was being honest with them if I said I was Mexican-American.”

Yet, yesterday at the CNN debate, while rebutting Newt Gingrich’s claim that he is “anti-immigrant,” Romney asserted that his Mexican roots are evidence that he is not:

Mr. Speaker, I’m not anti-immigrant. My father was born in Mexico. My wife’s father was born in Wales. They came to this country. The idea that I’m anti-immigrant is repulsive. 

First, Mitt Romney has been viciously anti-immigrant throughout the campaign. Vowing to veto the DREAM Act and sidling up to Kris Kobach are pretty clear examples of that. 

And while the line “My father was born in Mexico” is actually true, Mitt Romney’s new embrace of his Mexican heritage is laughable. One day he’s not, the next day he is. That’s vintage Romney.

But we’re pretty sure that anyone who stands for the forced expulsion of 11 million men, women, and children—even if it’s done with a smile—is anti-immigrant.