Rick Santorum has announced he will run again for president in 2016. This is our report on some of the false or misleading remarks he has made over the years.
The Santorum File
Locations: National
Does ACA Give Incentive to Hire Immigrants?
Q: Did Obama’s executive actions on immigration include a $3,000 bonus to employers for each immigrant they hire instead of U.S. citizens?
A: Not exactly. In very limited cases, employers may avoid the Affordable Care Act’s penalty if they hire immigrants who are not eligible for health care subsidies. But the law bars employers from discriminating against employees based on eligibility.
Cotton’s Porous Border Story
Rep. Tom Cotton distorted the facts of a 2011 failed terrorist plot to make his case that the U.S. border with Mexico is “open” and “defenseless.”
Spinning Immigration Data
President Obama exaggerated when talking about declines in illegal border crossings, and Republican Rick Santorum made a misleading claim about the foreign-born population in the United States.
Obama and Cruz Clash on Immigration
President Obama and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz made seemingly conflicting statements about public opinion on the president’s plan to address immigration issues in the U.S.
Bachmann’s Immigration Exaggerations
Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann wrongly suggested that Obama is granting citizenship and voting privileges to immigrants who are in the country illegally. His executive actions do neither of those.
Behind the Rising Deportations of ‘Criminals’
President Obama said “deportations of criminals are up 80 percent.” But an independent analysis found that increase is driven largely by the removal of individuals “whose most serious conviction was an immigration or traffic violation.”
Obama’s Actions ‘Same’ as Past Presidents?
President Obama repeatedly claimed that there is presidential precedent for the executive actions he took on immigration. But are the actions Obama announced really the “same kinds of actions” taken by past presidents?
The ACA-Gruber Connection
President Obama and Rep. Nancy Pelosi downplayed the contribution of MIT economist Jonathan Gruber to the Affordable Care Act, after controversial comments by Gruber came to light, while Republicans exaggerated his role.
The Great Premium Debate Continues
Rep. Michele Bachmann wrongly claims that we’re seeing “huge increases” in employer-sponsored plans, while President Obama touts historically low health care inflation, which experts say is mainly due to the slow economy, not the health care law.