Donald Trump may be unsure of his own immigration views depending on who he’s talking to, but at least on paper he couldn’t be any more clearer.
As Matt Hildreth wrote yesterday, Trump’s official immigration policy has not changed — mass deportation of all 11 million undocumented immigrants and their families; banning Muslims from entering the United States; and a massive wall along the US/Mexico border that Mexico will pay for.
We’ve argued that Trump — facing dismal polling in battleground states — is desperately attempting to soften up his language in order to convince moderate white voters that he is not a racist (he is), while still trying to hold on to the hardline voters that propelled him to a primary victory in the first place.
Trump is trying to have it both ways, and as Greg Sargent writes in a tweetstorm below, it’s important that media and others hold him accountable for his official positions and a year of rhetoric.
Similarly, Vox’s Dara Lind expressed skepticism at widespread media reports that Trump’s immigration policy has actually shifted.
Y’all, why on earth do you think “We’ll make them pay taxes” is sufficient to indicate support for legalization?
Out of the mouth of Trump?
— Dara Lind (@DLind) August 25, 2016
@jbreisblatt Nothing in there contradicts eg Krikorian’s “self-deportation then eventual legalization for those who last.” Let’s not assume.
— Dara Lind (@DLind) August 25, 2016
@jbreisblatt There are other euphemisms. “Get right with the law,” etc. He’s not saying anything like that.
— Dara Lind (@DLind) August 25, 2016
We’ve been waiting for @DLind to opine on the Trump immigration dance. She’s on fire rn raising qs that need to be answered before doing so.
— Frank Sharry (@FrankSharry) August 25, 2016
Tell me abt it. Interpreting his utterances either really hard (cuz not clear yet) or really foolish (cuz no plan). https://t.co/oZnSPPfa19
— Frank Sharry (@FrankSharry) August 25, 2016
@jbreisblatt Yes. But a lot of people are saying he has adopted Jeb’s and Rubio’s positions. Which, nuh-uh sorry.
— Dara Lind (@DLind) August 25, 2016
@jbreisblatt Oh I wouldn’t say that. He’s just blurring everydamnthing and it’s impossible to say what comes next.
— Dara Lind (@DLind) August 25, 2016
@jbreisblatt I can see where you’re coming from, but “Donald Trump knows exactly what he’s doing” is a fallacy with which we should dispel.
— Dara Lind (@DLind) August 25, 2016
