Washington ( CNN ) -- Gov . Chris Christie , who has long avoided wading into the immigration debate , said Thursday in Mexico City that he wo n't lay out his position on immigration reform unless he decides to run for president . `` Until that time I have no role in the immigration debate , except for how it may affect the individual citizens of New Jersey , which I 'll deal with as governor , '' the New Jersey Republican told reporters . `` But I wo n't have anything to say on immigration unless and until I become a candidate for president of the United States , '' he continued . `` If that happens , then I will articulate a full position on it . '' Third of Mexicans would migrate to the U.S. , survey finds . His comments came on the second of a three-day trip to Mexico , where the governor is meeting with Mexican dignitaries and business leaders to build economic and education partnerships . While Christie has repeatedly criticized President Obama for his handling of security enforcement at the U.S.-Mexico border , the governor has yet to detail his own position on legislation reform . `` I know you guys are begging to have me focus on immigration , and let me put you to rest : I 'm not going to , '' he said , referring to the news media . `` You can ask in 18 different ways ... I 'm not giving you the story , so you can move on to whatever your next questions are . '' Republican ignoring their own advice on immigration . During a trip to Iowa in July -- at the height of the crisis involving children crossing the border illegally -- Christie declined to answer questions from reporters about immigration . `` I 'm not going to discuss a complicated issue like immigration in a parking lot here in Marion , which really deserves a much deeper and more thoughtful conversation than we give out here right now , '' he said at the time , faulting `` both parties '' for the way they 've handled the issue . Christie : N.J. may consider housing kids from southern border influx . In June , while the governor was in San Francisco , he refused to lay out his position , again saying his current location was not the appropriate venue for such a topic . `` I 'm sure you 'd love me to do that , '' he said with sarcasm , after a reporter asked him to spell out his stance . `` And in fact what I want to do in a flower warehouse , I want to give you a very complex answer behind a set of microphones on a contentious issue that 's driving debate all across the country . No thank you . '' On Thursday , Christie said he discussed immigration issues the day prior in a meeting with Mexican President Enrique PeÃ±a Nieto , saying they talked about how `` it 's a very difficult issue for both parties '' in the United States and how it 's Washington 's responsibility to fix the problem . Since the 2012 presidential election , in which the GOP presidential nominee won only 27 % of the Latino vote , Republicans have been more aggressive in courting Latino voters . Christie himself has frequently pointed out that he won 51 % of the Latino vote in New Jersey during his re-election bid . Asked by one reporter about the importance of Latino voters for Republicans at the national level , Christie acknowledged the electoral advantages . `` The importance of it is the more votes you get , the more chance you have to win , '' he said bluntly . `` And I do n't care who those votes come from , as long as you wind up with more than the other guy , you win , you get to govern , and that 's what our party should be focused on . ''
Speaking in Mexico City , Christie says : nothing on immigration , for now . If he decides to run for President , ` ` then I will articulate a full policy on it '' The New Jersey governor has criticized Christie and others in Congress over the issue . He is in Mexico on an official mission as governor .