[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

Would Trump expose millions of people to a twenty-first century trail of tears to no purpose?

It would probably help if you didn't twist Trump's statements on this matter. When you pick up on words like "some," "the few," the "special cases," the "merit system" in Trump's statement, it suddenly gives you the data you need to understand what Trump is talking about.

No, it's not perfect. Trump has never defined who exactly would be allowed to return. But at the end of the day, mass deportation and a legal process for aliens to return is better than what Cruz supported for 3 years (now denying): which was, for illegals to "come out of the shadows" and sign up for legal status, all 40 million of them. Of course, most probably wouldn't even bother if there was any perceived cost.

[nathanbedford]

Cruz has recently moved to a position very close to Trump on removing illegal immigrants in our midst. He follows the Romney pattern of self deportation combined with vigorous enforcement of deportation laws, prohibition of sanctuary cities, cutting off benefits, tightening up the border, and the apparent elimination of H1B visas and other provisions which facilitate widespread immigration.

Cruz defends his position on not calling for the deportation of illegal immigrants at the time of the struggle over the Gang of Eight amnesty/ citizenship bill, as a legislative maneuver. I have no doubt it was a legislative maneuver but Cruz had also made remarks to the effect that there should be a way for illegals to "come out of the shadows" etc. I think Cruz has changed his views to a point where he is rock solid today on immigrants in our midst.

I think Cruz has been less than honest in denying that he was favoring a kind of amnesty back at that time when that was a major victory because the political climate was calling for citizenship. As a matter of political calculation, Cruz tried to have the issue both ways. After all, there is a dimension beyond the economic cost of illegal immigrants, it is their ability to vote once they attain citizenship (and sanctuary states the ability to vote illegally). Given the political culture at the time, Cruz and Sessions behaved the way legislators have fought since time immemorial.

Trump's intervention concededly changed the entire debate so that deportation of illegals became an acceptable and achievable goal beyond denying citizenship. Trump changed the political climate and Cruz changed his position. I would be more comfortable if Cruz simply said so rather than tap dancing.

On balance, one can way the number and degree of flip-flops committed by Donald Trump in his biography against these questionable allegations now being dredged up against Cruz and there is really no equivalence, Trump's whole biography is a gigantic ego trip of flip-flops.