Romney and Gingrich appeared hours apart before a crowd at the center-right Hispanic Leadership Network, where Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) preceded them onstage. They largely refrained from the sharp attacks that have defined the campaign, though they continued to disagree on what to do with the estimated 11 million people who live in the United States illegally.
Without mentioning a Gingrich attack ad that the campaign withdrew after complaints from Rubio, Romney sought to defend himself from the ad's accusation that he was "anti-immigrant."
"We are not anti-immigrant. We are not anti-immigration," said Romney, who during Thursday night's debate had called the suggestion "repulsive" as he aggressively hit back at Gingrich. "We are the pro-immigration, pro-legality, pro-citizenship nation."
He and Gingrich clashed sharply at the debate, but Romney appeared Friday to be riding a wave from his pull-no-punches performance, and he seemed relaxed and jovial before the Hispanic group, which gave him sustained rounds of applause and a standing ovation when he pledged to "help Cuba become free."
He also said he would appoint a presidential envoy responsible for democracy and freedom in Latin America.
He defended his call for those who are in the United States illegally to be given a temporary status and then return to their home countries to apply for citizenship.
"Other people call that self-deportation," he said, adding, "We're not going to go out and round up people in buses and send them home."
