Fresh off his sweeping re-election victory and with rumors buzzing about a possible 2016 run for the White House, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie wouldn’t call on lawmakers to include a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants in legislation to reform the nation’s immigration system.
“I think nationally, they have to fix a broken system,” Christie told host George Stephanopoulos during an appearance on ABC’s This Week on Sunday, adding that lawmakers in Washington D.C. should “get to the table and come to a consensus.” But asked about his previous support for citizenship and in-state tuition for undocumented students, Christie demurred, claiming that he doesn’t “get to make those determinations”:
STEPHANOPOULOS: A path to citizenship relief on in-state college tuition?
CHRISTIE: It has to be figured out by those in charge of the national government. My job is to fix what’s going on in New Jersey. I will tell you this, George, we won’t be able to fix everything in New Jersey until the national leaders set a national immigration policy….
STEPHANOPOULOS: Including a path to citizenship?
CHRISTIE: George, I don’t get to make those determinations. It’s 2013, i just got elected the governor of New Jersey again. I have already said what I believe. It’s a broken system and it needs to be fixed. Let’s get to work doing it.
Christie wasn’t always so circumspect. During an appearance on “This Week” in July of 2010, Christie said, “The president and the Congress have to step up to the plate, they have to secure our borders and they have to put forward a commonsense path to citizenship for people,” Christie told Tapper back then.
Pressed on his policy positions this Sunday, Christie also dodged or refused to address his views on the negotiations with Iran or gun safety measures. During an additional appearance on Face the Nation, Christie added that immigration reform is “what [Republicans] should be doing.”