Immigration Notably Absent from Governor’s Race

SAN ANTONIO (AP) _ Gov. Rick Perry and Democratic challenger Bill White are mostly keeping talk of immigration policy off the campaign trail.

Despite the national debate over immigration in the run-up to November, Perry and White have seldom talked immigration while crisscrossing Texas, which has an estimated 1.6 million illegal immigrants.

Perry says discussing immigration policy is pointless until the border is secure. White says he’ll have his hands full with state issues and can’t fix all the federal government’s problems.

Instead of policy, the candidates have laid out plans for beefing up security on the border and beating back drug violence from Mexico.

Last month, state officials testified to the House Affairs committee that illegal immigrants cost Texas at least $250 million last year in prison and medical care costs.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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