The Newt Immigration Plan

It's been a good few weeks for Newt Gingrich.  With the political and personal stumbles of the resilient Herman Cain, and social conservative activists secretly huddling to thwart Mitt Romney's presidential hopes, Gingrich has surged in recent polls.  He is, by most accounts now considered the republican frontrunner.

In this past Tuesday's Republican presidential debate,  the new Republican front runner, took some of his time in the spotlight to articulate his position on immigration reform.  Calling for a more humane position on immigration by the Republican Party and the country, Gingrich said, "I don't see how the party that says it's the party of the family is going to adopt an immigration policy which destroys families that have been here a quarter of a century. And I'm prepared to take the heat for saying, '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 then articulated several factors that would make a person eligible for his immigration amnesty of sorts.  He said that if a person has been in the country for a quarter century, works and pays taxes, and is active in a local church, they deserve immigration leniency.

I am extremely happy to hear this bold stance taken by a front runner in the Republican presidential race.  It is in fact humane and quite daring and courageous of Gingrich to say this just ahead of the Iowa caucuses where his conservative credentials will be scrutinized.  I applaud Gingrich for his statements and hope they help create the kind of real immigration reform the country needs.

However, and I hate to nitpick, but I couldn't help notice that in Gingrich's articulation of the factors a person must have to receive leniency under his immigration plan, the person must be active in a local church.  What about those who are active in a mosque or temple or synagogue?  Where do they stand under Gingrich's immigration plan?  Would they be allowed to stay here, or is his plan only for Christians?