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April 23rd, 2012
09:44 PM ET

Mitt Romney's family history in Mexico

Travel 200 miles south of the U.S. border in Mexico, past impoverished areas and treacherous drug cartel territory and you'll find a settlement in Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua with sprawling homes and families who moved there from the U.S. over a hundred years ago. After polygamy was outlawed in 1980, they fled to Mexico where husbands could legally have multiple wives.

Among the roughly 500 Mormons who live there today are presidential candidate Mitt Romney's relatives, and it's the place where his father was born. The community built a Mormon church and school, but they no longer practice polygamy.

CNN's Gary Tuchman went there to meet the Romneys of Mexico, about 40 family members who are successful farmers or run businesses. Some are cousins who share a great grandfather, Miles Park, with the former Massachusetts Governor.

What they don't all have in common is their view on immigration policy. "Tear that fence down. Start working with Mexican officials and try to come to a common ground and solution," said one of Romney's cousins.

While the relatives in Mexico have never met their famous cousin, they're supportive of his run for office. They hope he'll visit one day to see a piece of his ancestry there.

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Filed under: 2012 Election • Mitt Romney
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