Gingrich immigration plan: U.S. border would be secured

COLUMBIA -- Newt Gingrich said Friday that if he were president he would tell the U.S. Justice Department to drop all of its lawsuits against American states, including one in South Carolina over the Palmetto State's anti-illegal immigration law.

Gingrich, the former House speaker, outlined his plan for illegal immigration at a seafood restaurant in the capital city before a larger-than-anticipated crowd of some 250 people. Gingrich is the favorite GOP contender in South Carolina, according to a Clemson University poll released this week.

Gingrich said he can win the GOP nomination for president if he can win South Carolina's Jan. 21 primary. The poll found 38 percent support for Gingrich, with Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, taking second with 21 percent.

Gingrich said one of his first acts as president would be to call on the Justice Department to focus its energy on stopping illegal immigration.

"I think it is pretty outrageous when the federal government fails to do its job and then attacks the states that are trying to fill the gap created by federal government," Gingrich said.

His comments came a day after a federal judge in Charleston threw out key parts of South Carolina's anti-illegal immigration law that was to take to take effect Jan. 1. The Justice Department sued the state over the law.

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel's order halts the requirement that police be required to ask about a person's immigration status if they suspect that person is in the country illegally and to produce their legal documents. The ruling also stops the state from making it a felony to knowingly harbor or transport an illegal immigrant. Enforcement would have to wait until after a full court vetting.

Gingrich said he would completely secure the U.S. border with Mexico by January 2014.

"There is no question in my mind that if you're serious about it, you can get it done," Gingrich said.

He said would also make English the official language of the American government, require a better understanding of American history to become a citizen or a high school graduate, make the visa process easier and make deportation easier.

Gingrich said he would create a guest worker program, but he would outsource it to private business to run it because "the federal government is hopeless at running a program like that."

Gingrich also said he would create a residency permit for illegal immigrants who have been in the country for 25 years and have worked and paid taxes.

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The applicant would have to be sponsored by an American family and reviewed by a panel of local citizens.

The issue was raised during a 40-minute question and answer session that followed Gingrich's 20-minute stump speech.

One questioner was booed for asking Gingrich his opinion on the Confederate battle flag flying on Statehouse grounds, but Gingrich's answer scored him a standing ovation from many in the crowd.

He said whether to fly the battle flag is South Carolina's business.