Obama attacks Romney from overseas

COLOMBIA: President Barack Obama is making a rare foray into national politics while abroad, taking a jab at the immigration stance of his likely rival in November's presidential election.

As he struggles with declining popularity among the key Hispanic electorate that helped put him over the top in 2008, Obama vowed to fulfill his promise of immigration reform in the first year of his second term, providing a path to citizenship for nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants.

He referred to Mitt Romney as the “nominee” even though the Republican nomination contest is not yet officially over ahead of the head-to-head general election battle between the conservative party's pick and Obama, who is seeking a second four-year term.

Arizona, which borders Mexico, was the first of several US states to demand that immigrants carry identity documents to justify their presence on US soil. A federal judge has blocked some of its toughest provisions.

His statement marked a rare discussion of domestic politics from abroad by Obama as he gears up for a likely hard-fought general election campaign.

AFP