While Trump had discussed “softening” on immigration reforms in recent weeks, his Phoenix speech made clear he intends to head into the fall campaign stressing concepts like zero-tolerance, “extreme” vetting of immigrants and no amnesty. See Trump’s full remarks.
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Campaigning in Ohio, Democrat Hillary Clinton jabbed at Trump’s Mexican appearance as she promoted her own experience working with foreign leaders as the nation’s chief diplomat.
In his announcement of his presidential candidacy past year, Trump derided Mexico as a source of rapists and criminals coming to the United States, and his presence yesterday sparked anger and protests across the capital city.
Pena Nieto has been sharply critical of Trump’s immigration policies, particularly the Republican’s plans to build a wall and have Mexico pay for it. Pena Nieto previously compared Trump’s rhetoric to Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. But he said they did not discuss who would pay for it, saving it for another meeting – which, apparently, Peña Nieto felt the need to contradict.
Trump hoped, with his speech, to clear up confusion over his policy after conflicting statements from advisers in the last week, suggesting he was wavering.
Trump spokesman Jason Miller issued an opaque statement Wednesday evening saying the meeting “was not a negotiation”.
As CNN reports, Trump laid out explicitly that there will be “no amnesty” for undocumented immigrants now living in the US, marking the third (?) about face in his immigration policy. Our message to the world will be this: “you can not obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country”, Mr Trump pledged.
Trump added that the 11 million illegal immigrants in America would have to return home and re-apply for re-entry.
“We agreed on the importance of ending the illegal flow of drugs, cash, guns and people across our border and to put the cartels out of business”, Trump said. In fact, he said, illegal immigration from Mexico has peaked, and the number of non-Mexicans entering the U.S. illegally has grown. In order to achieve these questionable goals, he also proposed to triple the amount of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers – a “Deportation Task Force” whose focus will be on “identifying and quickly removing” the risky undocumented immigrants that live in our midst, “evading justice”.
– Trump would suspend visas for any Muslim nations where “adequate screening can not occur”, singling out Syria and Libya, over concerns terrorists will attempt to pose as refugees to gain access to the United States.
A demonstrator holds a placard during a protest against the visit of U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, at the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City, Mexico, August 31, 2016.
“We had a very substantive, direct and constructive exchange of ideas over quite a period of time”, Trump said.
But he remained unclear on exactly what would become of the 11 million people now living in the shadows, other than to suggest they would need to leave and come back legally if they wanted legal status.
Trump followed up with a major immigration address in Phoenix – still plenty tough, but focused on fixing obvious, gaping flaws in current enforcement.
He said a lot about the screening of would-be immigrants to the United States. He vowed that any undocumented immigrants who are caught crossing into the United States will be “detained until they are removed from our country” and sent back to their country of origin. “It’s happening every day, it’s getting worse and worse and worse, and we have to stop it”.
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– “I’m not going to pay for that f***ing wall”. Clinton sought to remind voters Wednesday about his controversial language and warned that he can not simply paint over it with a quick stopover. It was a thoughtful and substantive conversation and it will go on for a while and in the end we’re all going to win – both countries – we’re all going to win. “That is not how it works”, she said without naming her rival.
