Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Akron, Ohio, on Monday.
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Donald Trump on Tuesday said he was open to “softening” laws to accommodate law-abiding people who are in the country illegally if they “contribute to society, ” but the Republican presidential candidate also continued to appeal to voters’ fear and anger about illegal immigration.
The GOP nominee has in the past called for some kind of deportation force to remove the 11 million people in this country illegally. Hannity asked at one point.
“There certainly can be a softening because we’re not looking to hurt people”, Trump replied, insisting there were some “great people” among the immigrant population. “We want people – we have some great people in this country”. “We have some great, great people in this country but we’re going to follow the laws of this country and what people don’t realize – we have very, very strong laws”.
“We’re rounding ’em up in a very humane way, in a very nice way”.
In an immigration town hall event with Fox News anchor Sean Hannity, Trump was asked whether he would be willing to change US law to accommodate those illegal immigrants who have been contributing to American society, obeyed laws and have children. Clinton and Trump offer voters distinct choices this fall on issues that shape everyday lives.
During the town hall, Trump polled the audience on the issue of mass deportations, getting a mixed response, and promised he “would come out with a decision very soon”.
Trump, who postponed an immigration speech originally planned for Thursday in Denver, said he would stop some major cities’ practice of providing sanctuary for illegal immigrants and stop immigrants from overstaying their visas.
Speaking before Trump’s campaign rally in Austin, Texas, Tuesday night, Alabama Republican senator and longtime Trump ally Jeff Sessions tried to parse Trump’s words, saying he was softening his position on the “legality” of illegal immigration.
OBAMA: Immigration advocates have railed against Obama for deporting huge numbers – more than 2.5 million in all – and dubbed him the “deporter in chief”.
Trump himself on Monday night told Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly on “The O’Reilly Factor” that “We’re going to obey the existing laws”, and should he be elected, “we’re gonna get rid of all the bad ones”. Trump regularly asks his supporters at campaign rallies, to which the crowds respond, “Mexico!”
His promise to build a wall at the southern border remained unquestioned.
“The views are pretty hardened on both sides, and I don’t think anything is going to move that needle”, he said.
“If they’ve done well, they’re going out and they’re coming back legally”, he told Pelley.
But Trump lamented crimes committed by undocumented immigrants and laid the deaths of American citizens killed by undocumented immigrants at the feet of “the policies of Hillary Clinton and (President) Barack Obama”, before introducing eight mothers who lost their children to undocumented immigrant criminals.
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Trump was set to deliver a major speech on illegal immigration this week, but his campaign made a decision to postpone the address as it continues to craft its policy and the language to deliver it.
