"Congress must protect our borders first. Amnesty should be done only if the border is secure and illegal immigration has stopped."
However, Cruz has never supported amnesty. It appears he supported legalizing some of the illegals as long as they could never get citizenship. But Trump was specifically talking about amnesty. So even in this case, Cruz had the more conservative position.
Trumps change of positions are almost all old one’s.
Cruz’ however, are just from this past congressional cycle.
Flip-Flopped on Legal Immigration:
Townhall’s Guy Benson: Cruz has flip-flopped dramatically on a number of his previous immigration views.
In response, Rubio charged that Cruz supported mass legalization of illegal immigrants and proposed huge increases in federal issuance of certain immigration visas and green cards. Cruz shook his head throughout Rubio’s rejoinder, but Rubio was correct on these points. Cruz has flip-flopped dramatically on a number of his previous immigration views. The Texan shot back, it is not accurate, what he just said, that I supported legalization.Sorry, Senator. It’s on tape. (Townhall, Guy Benson, 12/16/15)
Flip-Flopped on H-1B Visas:
In an election year, Cruz said he would suspend the H-1B program.
Cruz said he would suspend the H-1B program for 180 days while he audited the system for abuses, abandoning his prior support for a 500% increase in the high-tech program. (CNN, 11/13/15)
Cruz sharply distanced himself from his long-held plan to increase the number of visas for high-tech workers by 500%.
A month prior, Cruz sharply distanced himself from his long-held plan to increase the number of visas for high-tech workers by 500%. Under fire from conservative talk radio hosts who said he was imperiling American workers, Cruz said he would suspend the program for 180 days until it could be reformed to his liking.(CNN, 12/1/7/15)
In 2013, Senator Cruz offered an amendment that would increase the H-1B Visa program from 65,000 to 325,000.
During the 2013 immigration debate, the Texas senator proposed an amendment to the comprehensive Ëœgang of eight Senate bill that he boasted would dramatically increase the annual limit on H-1B skilled guest worker visasâ€from 65,000 to 325,000â€a five-fold expansion. (Bloomberg, 8/20/15)
Flip-Flopped on Birthright Citizenship:
Cruzs birthright citizenship position is the product of a flip-flop that is a couple of years old.
Post-Trump, Cruz has highlighted his opposition to birthright citizenship, itself the product of a flip-flop that is a couple of years old. (Washington Examiner, 11/19/15)
CNN: Despite his grounding in the grass-roots, Cruz has had to quickly react at times to Trump envelope-pushing brand of conservatism, such as when Cruz quickly agreed this summer with Trumps new position to end birthright citizenship, despite previous questions the Texan posed about its constitutionality. (CNN, 12/1/7/15)
Flip-Flopped on Mass Deportation:
In September 2013, Cruz noted that he had not called for deportation.
Cruz also noted that he had not called for deportation or, as Mitt Romney famously advocated, self-deportation. (NYT/Texas Tribune, 9/13/13)
Now, over the past few weeks, Cruz has specifically endorsed deportations after months of resisting.
Cruz, who over the past few weeks has specifically endorsed deportations after months of resisting, said in an interview that aired Sunday on State of the Union that the U.S. should catch those who came here illegally under normal law enforcement practices, not through round-ups of the estimated 11 million undocumented people living in the U.S. (CNN, 1/10/16)
In January 2016, Cruz said that like Donald Trump he does absolutely support deportation of all illegal immigrants.
Ted Cruz said during an appearance in Iowa on Monday that theres a difference between him and Donald Trump on immigration. The Texas senator, who is leading the field of Republican presidential candidates in Iowa according to the latest polls, was asked by a man in the state if, like Trump, he believed that all undocumented immigrants should be deported. Cruz replied, ËœAbsolutely yes. And in fact, look, theres a difference, said Cruz. Hes advocated allowing folks to come back in and become citizens. I oppose that. (BuzzFeed, 1/5/16)
He once held the position of legalizing ALL non-criminal illegals.
And, I'm not opposed to a politician changing their position as they learn more about their electorate.
But I expect them to own it. Cruz has never done that. He continues to deny he ever held that position. Calling people liars who disagree.
that's too much for me to swallow.