Reality check: most of the protests surrounding immigration in the United States are really about immigrants here illegally, more than 11 million people, with more than 6 million from Mexico.
"We welcome legal immigrants into this country. I want our legal system to work better. I want it to be streamlined, I want it to be clearer. I don't think you have to – shouldn't have to hire a lawyer to figure out how to get into this country legally," Romney said at town hall debate.
Romney says he wants to increase immigration among highly skilled workers, cut red tape, and reform temporary work visas.
But, for illegals, he's against amnesty, which would let them remain in the U.S. without penalty. He also wants to secure the borders and discourage illegals who are here now from staying.
In a debate, he explained how:
"Well, the answer is self-deportation, which is people decide they can do better by going home because they can't find work here because they don't have legal documentation to allow them to work here. And so we're not going to round people up."
But the president says deportation will make America weaker, not stronger:
"If we truly want to make this country a destination for talent and ingenuity from all over the world, we won't deport hardworking, responsible young immigrants who have grown up here or received advanced degrees here."
Obama, too, supports securing the borders, and he'd punish employers who abuse immigrant workers.
Their key difference is that Obama supports amnesty, and proved it, in June, with an executive order that changed immigration policy:
"Over the next few months, eligible individuals who do not present a risk to national security or public safety will be able to request temporary relief from deportation proceedings and apply for work authorization."
Just as the presidential candidates are divided on immigration, so are their parties. So, unless one party wins control of the White House and Congress, the stalemate we have before the election will continue after it.