Tancredo on New Bedford raid

Colorado Congressman and presidential candidate Tom Tancredo, a hardline critic of illegal immigration, yesterday called for the illegal immigrants rounded up in New Bedford last week to be deported.

Tancredo, a conservative whose campaign is defined by the issue of illegal immigration, made his comments at the formal opening of his presidential-campaign office in New Hampshire.

The handling of the raid by federal agents has been protested by many Massachusetts elected officials because parents have been separated from their young children.

"You deport the people that are here illegally," said Tancredo. "Their responsibility is to take care of their children and I am assuming they would take their children with them especially if they are too young to function on their own. At same point of time if that child wants to come back because he is or she is an American citizen they have a right to do so.''

Speaking of the temporarily separated families Tancredo continued to say "My hope is that they will be reunited before they are deported.''