On Sunday, Jeb Bush gave another sign that he's planning to make a run for the White House in 2016, announcing that he would officially make a decision about the next presidential election before the end of the year.

During an event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the presidency of George H. W. Bush, the former Florida governor called the condition of politics "crazy right now" and added that one factor in his decision to run for the highest office will be whether he can deliver an optimistic message without getting sucked into a political "mud fight."

The other primary factor, he said, will be whether he gets his family's approval to run in the 2016 race, reports the Associated Press.

When asked about immigration, the potential Republican presidential candidate described illegal immigration as "an act of love." He added that immigrants who come to the United States without authorization do so to provide for their families and should not be treated like felons.

"Someone who comes to our country because they couldn't come legally, they come to our country because their families -- the dad who loved their children -- was worried that their children didn't have food on the table. And they wanted to make sure their family was intact, and they crossed the border because they had no other means to work to be able to provide for their family," Bush said to event moderator Fox News anchor Shannone Bream at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Center, reports the Washington Post.

"Yes, they broke the law, but it's not a felony," the two-term governor continued. "It's an act of love. It's an act of commitment to your family. I honestly think that that is a different kind of crime that there should be a price paid, but it shouldn't rile people up that people are actually coming to this country to provide for their families."

Bush added, "I honestly think that is a different kind of crime, that there should be a price paid, but it shouldn't rile people up that people are actually coming to this country to provide for their families. I think we need to kind of get beyond the harsh political rhetoric to a better place."

While it seems Bush is trying to distinguish himself as one of the rare Republican leaders that embraces immigration, he isn't the only potential GOP 2016 contender fishing for Hispanic votes. Last week, Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, stressed the need for the GOP to appeal to Hispanic voters and soften up their stance on immigration.

"We've got to get beyond deportation to get to the rest of the issues," Paul said in Washington, according to CNN. "The bottom line is that the Hispanic community, the Latino community, is not going to hear us until we get beyond that issue. They're not going to care whether we go to the same church or have the same values or believe in the same kind of future of the country until we get beyond that."