But whatever the possible gains, Trump risks offending millions of conservatives who were drawn to his self-description as an unwavering opponent of illegal immigration.
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After signaling that his position on immigration is “to be determined” and that it could “soften”, Donald Trump did an awesome thing – what amounts to nearly a full about-face on the principal issue that has driven his campaign.
“Mr. says-5532/”>Trump said nothing today that he hasn’t said many times before, including in his convention speech-enforce our immigration laws, uphold the Constitution and be fair and humane while putting American workers first”, said Steven Cheung, Trump’s rapid response director.
COOPER: If you haven’t committed a crime and you’ve been here for 15 years and you have a family here, you have a job here, will you be deported?
Rep. Steve King, a staunch critic of illegal immigration, said Friday he’s “happy to hear” Donald Trump clarifying his immigration policy and reiterating his opposition to legal status for undocumented immigrants. “We either have borders or we don’t”, Trump said, adding that he would still build a massive wall along the Southern border, and make Mexico pay for it, if elected president. “We’re a country of laws”.
When asked whether he would allow an exception for someone to stay in the US who’s proven to be a fair citizen, Trump said, “No citizenship. People that have been working so hard to come into the country, are going through the process, we’re going to take them in and we’re going to cherish them, and they’re going to love us”.
PPP says when it comes to courting African American voters, Mr. Trump could lose that demographic by historic proportions.
During that event, he raised the idea that people living in the country illegally would pay back taxes, “but we work with them”. “Whether you like it or not, he is so weak on illegal immigration, it’s laughable and everybody knows it”.
The Republican presidential nominee will deliver his speech at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Phoenix. For more than a year, Trump has been promising to be harsh on immigration. It sounds, though, like he’s back to his original position, which is that illegals will have to leave the country before they can be legalized.
“We’re getting a wall”.
Trump’s anti-immigration proposals are the cornerstone of his candidacy.
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The reversal on deportations, though, comes after Trump called for a “deportation force” during the GOP primary, and went after fellow Republican candidates like Jeb Bush for their positions. “We want to come up with something fair”. And it was unclear if he was unveiling a new stance or simply trying out new rhetoric to appeal to a general election audience as he lags Democrat Hillary Clinton in polls 11 weeks before the election. Yet Trump now seems to be reverting to his original plan – one derided as a “touchback” policy in which those without proper papers must return home before re-entering the country. Coulter, a staunch supporter of deporting the 11 million and building the wall, was launching her new book, In Trump We Trust when news of flip-flop from the man she worships came down.
