(Image source: CNN)

BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN

He says he's prepared to take the heat for being humane.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told the crowd at the CNN National Security debate Tuesday night, not ALL undocumented immigrants should be deported.

GINGRICH: “I don’t believe that the party that says it's the party of the family is going to say it’s going to destroy families that have been here for more than a quarter of a century. I'm prepared to take the heat in saying: Let's be humane in enforcing the law.”

Gingrich said he favored parts of the DREAM Act, legislation that would give young adults brought illegally to the United States by their parents -- a path to citizenship. And though opponent Mitt Romney called the former speaker’s position “a big mistake,” The Globe and Mail suggests...

“The move could enhance Mr. Gingrich’s appeal among Hispanic voters, a group with which the Republican Party has struggled to gain traction. But it could also backfire among the party grassroots, who prefer a hard-line stand on immigration.”

Most analysts agree -- it was a risky position for a candidate to take while trying to appeal to conservative voters ahead of the primaries. Especially a candidate who’s only recently soared to the top of the polls.

A reporter for Dallas NBC-affiliate KXAS says it’ll definitely haunt his campaign.

“Craig Robinson of the IowaRepublican.com said, all that will be remembered about the CNN debate is Newt on immigration. People will be talking about this for the next few days and there won't be another debate until next month. The question people are asking is, not only if it hurts Gingrich but how much and who those voters will turn to, maybe Governor Perry or somebody else.”

Turning to Perry? Not likely -- considering the Texas Governor himself has been hit with allegations of being too soft on immigration.

In a Fox News debate in September, Perry defended his support for in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants.
 

"If you say that we should not educate children who have come into our state for no other reason than they have been brought there by no fault of their own, I don't think you have a heart.”

And just like Perry -- Gingrich could be in for some backlash. In fact, HuffPost’s Jason Linkins reports, he already is.

“The Bachmann campaign was quick out of the gate to hit Newt Gingrich for his stance on immigration reform -- every political reporter in America just got a copy of a release titled ‘Newt Gingrich’s Open Door to Illegal Immigrant Amnesty.’”

But in the end, panelists on MSNBC come to different conclusions about the long-term damage.

ANALYST 1: “I guarantee you, is taking a hit tomorrow morning when the polls come out.”
ED SCHULTZ: “Newt Gingrich played its mark as far as immigration is concerned. He's going to have to get the Latino vote.” …

JIM MOORE: “There is a political upside in the general election. … I think it is presumptuous on the part of new to toss this out this early because it presumes that he is going to do well and is likely a nominee.”