While many conservatives across the country are calling for beefing up security along the U.S./Mexican border and deporting all illegal immigrants, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson is taking a different approach bound to stir controversy among Republicans.

Johnson, who was governor for two terms between 1995 and 2002, last year launched Our America, The Gary Johnson Initiative, a tax-exempt "political advocacy committee." He's traveled to 20 states speaking to conservative and libertarian groups — including three trips in recent months to New Hampshire, the state with the first presidential primary. Johnson will neither confirm nor deny that he's laying the foundation for a 2012 Republican presidential bid.

He said he's trying to "give a voice" to Republicans who disagree with conventional GOP thinking on several issues. Johnson said he is "pretty much on the same page" with most frequently mentioned 2012 GOP candidates when it comes to government spending.

"But when you listen to the rhetoric they all seem to want to stay engaged on the war on terror at an unlimited cost and they're all now talking about securing the borders when they don't seem to have any idea how much that would actually cost," he said. "Although the rhetoric sounds good, the reality of what they're saying really isn't going to reduce spending."

Johnson is admittedly coy when asked about presidential ambitions. His group's IRS status as a 501(c)(4), he said, prohibits him from talking about a possible candidacy. But the idea of running for president is being "tossed around" he said. "I'm heartened by all that."

And an aide present at Tuesday's interview pointed to an article in The Daily Caller this week in which U.S. Rep. Ron Paul — one of Johnson's libertarian heroes — said he's not sure whether he'll run for president again. "Asked to name other potential presidential candidates he could support, Paul replied, 'I guess the best one would be Johnson from New Mexico — Gary Johnson,' " the article said.

In his travels he's learned that immigration is the "hot-button issue d'jour" across the country, he said. "Secure our borders?" Johnson asked rhetorically. "What's the cost? What's the benefit? ... I just don't think it's practical to put the National Guard arm-in-arm across 1,600 miles of border."

As for the idea of deporting illegal immigrants — as advocated by many of his fellow conservatives — Johnson said that in practice mass deportations "is just going to add to the insanity of spending and it's not gong to have any positive impact."

Johnson said there were more illegal immigrants in the U.S. back when he was governor. "When I was governor, I asked for a cost-benefits analysis. Are we paying out more than we're getting in, given the fact that (immigrants) do pay taxes — income tax, Social Security, Medicare. Immigrants who have used false documents to get work don't collect tax refunds, Johnson said. His administration determined that the state got more tax revenue from illegal immigrants than the state was paying out in benefits.

Johnson said he doesn't like the harsh tone he's heard in the immigration debate. "At an event the other night and some guy says, 'What we need are A-10s flying low across the border ... guns blazing.' " Johnson said. "I said, 'Really? You want to kill the immigrants? ... We are on different pages here. We really have a serious disagreement about this.' " But a couple of minutes later, Johnson said, the man apologized and said he didn't mean what he said. He said such emotional reactions to the problem "have to do with the notion that (immigrants) are taking away jobs from U.S. citizens."

His immigration plan is similar to one proposed by the Bush administration in 2007 — but was shot down by conservative Republicans. Johnson's plan calls for a guest-worker program in which workers would have to pay income taxes as well as have health insurance or provide proof of financial responsibility for health care. Such workers would be allowed to bring their families, though they also would have to have health insurance.

Johnson said rather than forcing illegals to go back to their home countries, there should be a two-year grace period to get them enrolled in the guest-worker program. Deporting all illegals, he said, "is just going to add to the insanity of spending and it's not gong to have any positive impact."

One area of difference between Johnson's plan and Bush's is that Johnson calls for legalizing marijuana as a way to weaken Mexican drug cartels by making marijuana trafficking less profitable.

"Are they going to risk life and limb lugging it across the border ... if it's offered here in the United States at a significantly lower price?" Johnson said.

As for state politics, Johnson has yet to endorse Susana Martinez, this year's Republican candidate for governor. He said he has been disappointed by the negative advertising from both sides that has marked the campaign so far. Will he endorse the Republican ticket? "I hope so," he said. "I hope that's the case."

There are stark difference between Martinez and Johnson on some issues. As far as immigration goes, Martinez attacked one of her primary opponents for supporting the Bush proposal, which allowed a pathway for citizenship for people in the country illegally. As far as marijuana goes, Martinez, as was the case with her primary opponents, is strongly opposed to legalization.

But there's no chance he'll endorse Democrat Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, he said. "I'm pretty upset about what's happened in the state," he said. "What's happened to this financially did not have to happen. If I'd have been governor in the last eight years ... well, I'm going to make the claim that this would not have happened."

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com. Read his political blog at roundhouseroundup.com.