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Trump Moves to the Center: I Support Amnesty
Director Blue ^ | 1/13/2016 | Marc Thiessen

Posted on 02/12/2016 2:12:41 PM PST by conservativejoy

Trump's supporters loved his promise this week to create a "deportation force” to remove all 11 million illegal immigrants living in America, and his repeated declaration that everyone here illegally will “have to go."

But his supporters tend to overlook is his other promise - repeated in a recent debate - that under his immigration plan "they will come back."

That's right. Under Trump's immigration plan almost all of 11 million illegal aliens (save for a small minority with criminal records) will get to return and get permanent legal status to stay here in America.

Trump supports amnesty.

On the Kelly File Thursday, Trump's son Eric expressed frustration that the media overlooks this:

The point isn't just deporting them, it's deporting them and letting them back in legally. He's been so clear about that and I know the liberal media wants to misconstrue it, but its deporting them and letting them back legally.

Eric Trump is right. His father has been crystal clear that he wants all the illegals to return and live in America.

Listen closely to what Trump is actually proposing. In an interview with CNN's Dana Bash earlier this year, Trump explained his plan this way:

I would get people out and then have an expedited way of getting them back into the country so they can be legal. A lot of these people are helping us ... and sometimes it's jobs a citizen of the United States doesn't want to do. I want to move 'em out, and we're going to move 'em back in and let them be legal.

This is a policy called "touchback" and it was first proposed in 2007 by moderate Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX). She offered a "touchback" amendment on the Senate floor that would have required illegal immigrants to return to their home countries to apply for a special "Z visa" that would allow them to reenter the United States in an expedited fashion and work here indefinitely.

Her amendment lost by a relatively close margin, 53-45. It was supported by most Republicans and even got five Democratic votes - Sens. Claire McCaskill, Max Baucus, Jon Tester, Byron Dorgan and John Rockefeller all voted for it.

The idea was considered so reasonable that in an April 22, 2007 editorial entitled "Progress on Immigration," the New York Times declared:

It's not ideal, but if a touchback provision is manageable and reassures people that illegal immigrants are indeed going to the back of the line, then it will be defensible.

So what Trump is proposing today - sending illegal immigrants back to their home countries and then allowing the "good ones" to return in an "expedited" fashion - was endorsed by the liberal New York Times!

In fact, the idea even got the support of - wait for it - illegal immigrants.

In 2007, the Los Angeles Times did the first telephone poll of illegal immigrants and asked whether they would go home under a "touchback" law that allowed them to return with legal status. Sixty-three percent said yes, 27% said no and 10% were undecided. If they were promised a path to citizenship when they returned, the number who said they would leave and return legally grew to 85%.

Donald Trump's detractors were aghast at his invocation during the Fox Business debate of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's "Operation Wetback" which forcibly removed 1.5 million illegal immigrants, and his promise the following day to establish a "deportation force" to remove the 11 million illegal immigrants living in America today.

Never mind the fact that we already have a "deportation force" - it's called US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The fact is, Trump won't need a "deportation force" or an "Operation Wetback" to get illegal immigrants to go home - because he has promised that they can return quickly with legal status.

The vast majority of illegal immigrants say they would voluntarily cooperate with Trump's plan.

If anything, the "touchback" plan Trump endorses was attacked by conservatives back in 2007. In an editorial, National Review called touchback a "fraud" that gives illegal aliens “their own privileged pathway” ahead of "applicants who have complied with US immigration laws."

That is precisely what Trump is proposing. Under his plan, illegal aliens don't have to go to the end of the line behind those who have complied with our immigration laws. They get an "expedited way of getting them back into the country so they can be legal." They get to cut the line and then stay in America.

So if you get past Trump's bluster, the plan he is proposing is so liberal that it earned the support of the New York Times and the opposition of National Review.

The reason is simple: Trump's plan is in fact a form of amnesty - you just have to leave the country briefly to get it.

So when Trump says of illegal immigrants "they all have to go," don't overlook the fact that under his plan almost all would be able to immediately return – and stay.

This means there is very little difference between his plan and what John Kasich and Jeb Bush are supporting.

And most of his supporters don't even realize it.


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: 1stcanadiansentor; amnesty; bs; cjtds; gangof14post; propagandadujour; tedspacificpartners; theycomeoutatnight; trump; usualsuspect
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To: conservativejoy

Keep in mind that once they have “touched back” to their home country....they are out. You get them to leave willingly, then lock the door once they are on the other side of it.

Just a thought.


41 posted on 02/12/2016 2:32:42 PM PST by Ouderkirk (To the left, everything must evidence that this or that strand of leftist theory is true)
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To: conservativejoy
Trump will propose a revolving door at the border where illegal aliens walk across and then come back in and are processed to become citizens. The government geeks will point out how inefficient and expensive this is and say why not just process them in the state where they live? So Trump cuts some sort of deal, they all become legal and Trump gets something in return. Perhaps a federal monument named after him or something. It's all a scam.

Reminds me of the Mission Impossible line where Cruise does his magic trick and then says "why you were down there and I was up here ..."

42 posted on 02/12/2016 2:32:53 PM PST by plain talk
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To: conservativejoy
Trump is so dependably undependable.

He is the prime example of "finger-in-the-wind" politics.

How much did BJ Clintoon pay him?...or is it just for grins?

43 posted on 02/12/2016 2:33:50 PM PST by stboz
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To: conservativejoy

Trump is 100 times smarter than that. He’ll bring back only the good ones.

* College Educated
* Business Owners
* Teachers, etc

These will be mainly Conservative folks, not the typical democratic voters.


44 posted on 02/12/2016 2:34:02 PM PST by o2bfree (DNC = RNC :-)
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To: Fantasywriter
Apparently, you are not listening to Trump. He says he will expedite them back in.

Trump; I'd Expedite Legal Immigration Process for Good Illegals After Getting Them Out (Breitbart)

45 posted on 02/12/2016 2:34:04 PM PST by conservativejoy (Pray Hard, Work Hard, Trust God ...We Can Elect Ted Cruz)
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To: gov_bean_ counter

I hope the trumpets have the bravery to come back here after the duping is complete.


46 posted on 02/12/2016 2:34:37 PM PST by catfish1957 (I display the Confederate Battle Flag with pride in honor of my brave ancestors who fought w/ valor)
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To: conservativejoy

This is definitely the fly in the ointment with Trump. His supporters need to make clear to him that this is a sticking point. If he wants to win the Presidency, he’ll have to change that stance.


47 posted on 02/12/2016 2:34:39 PM PST by Nea Wood
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To: conservativejoy

That wall that Trump supporters love will be a dang revolving door.

What’s the point.


48 posted on 02/12/2016 2:35:21 PM PST by altura (Cruz for our country)
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To: conservativejoy

So...if they get sent back and the good ones apply and get approved to come back, according to you THAT is amnesty, BUT legalizing them ALL, deporting none of them isn’t amnesty?

LIke phony lawyer Cruz says, “Imagine”......

What did the Candidates say about immigration in their announcement speeches?

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3396178/posts

Cruz Mar. 23, 2015

Instead of the lawlessness and the president’s unconstitutional executive amnesty, imagine a president that finally, finally, finally secures the borders.

And imagine a legal immigration system that welcomes and celebrates those who come to achieve the American dream.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/transcript-ted-cruzs-speech-at-liberty-university/2015/03/23/41c4011a-d168-11e4-a62f-ee745911a4ff_story.html

Yes, that is the totality of what Cruz said about immigration.


49 posted on 02/12/2016 2:35:46 PM PST by AuntB (Illegal immigration is simply more "share the wealth" socialism and a CRIME not a race!)
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To: o2bfree

He talks about bringing back the ones who do jobs that Americans won’t do.


50 posted on 02/12/2016 2:35:52 PM PST by conservativejoy (Pray Hard, Work Hard, Trust God ...We Can Elect Ted Cruz)
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To: nickcarraway
Why would he spend the $ 1 trillion to deport them, if they are just coming back?

As a personal favor to me.

51 posted on 02/12/2016 2:35:57 PM PST by papertyger (-/\/\/\-)
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To: stboz
He is the prime example of "finger-in-the-wind" politics.

It got him second place in Iowa!

52 posted on 02/12/2016 2:36:05 PM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: A CA Guy

Well, that would work far better than a wall. But unfortunately Mr. Trump has no knowledge of conservative economic theory.


53 posted on 02/12/2016 2:36:13 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: conservativejoy

Trump has already made some of my dreams come true. He stood up to PC. Dared talk about a wall. Dared to express desire to stop Muslim immigration. He says it like it is to the media.

I could almost die happy FROM HIS CAMPAIGN ALONE.

So I trust him more than Cruz, whom I liked a lot until I saw him campaign.


54 posted on 02/12/2016 2:36:32 PM PST by Yaelle
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To: o2bfree

Was that a joke?

He will bring back the ones willing to work for low wages for his corporate buddies.

And if they take away jobs from U.S. Citizens... well, stuff happens, don’t ya know.


55 posted on 02/12/2016 2:37:03 PM PST by altura (Cruz for our country)
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To: fireman15

Very astute. There is a one to one correspondence between Cruz’ increased lying-as-strategy against Trump and the increase in lies about Trump disseminated by his supporters.


56 posted on 02/12/2016 2:37:10 PM PST by Fantasywriter (Any attempt to do forensic work using Internet artifacts is fraught with pitfalls. JoeProbono)
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To: lodi90

And how strange is it that most of Ted’s big $$ donors are amnesty/TPP hacks???


57 posted on 02/12/2016 2:37:15 PM PST by AuntB (Illegal immigration is simply more "share the wealth" socialism and a CRIME not a race!)
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To: conservativejoy

Trump has already made some of my dreams come true. He stood up to PC. Dared talk about a wall. Dared to express desire to stop Muslim immigration. He says it like it is to the media.

I could almost die happy FROM HIS CAMPAIGN ALONE.

So I trust him more than Cruz, whom I liked a lot until I saw him campaign.


58 posted on 02/12/2016 2:37:41 PM PST by Yaelle
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To: Yaelle

Kinda sad.

Trump yelling at the media made your dreams come true?

I don’t like The Media but they don’t run the country.

I want someone who will be a good President.


59 posted on 02/12/2016 2:38:41 PM PST by altura (Cruz for our country)
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To: conservativejoy

LO you are like a doll with pull string that repeats only a few phrases.

Tired old lies.

I won’t be giving you another second of my time :)


60 posted on 02/12/2016 2:39:15 PM PST by b4me
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