Trump is a Johnny-Come-Lately on the border security issue. In 2012 he criticized Romney’s position on immigration.
https://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Donald-Trump-Ronald-Kessler/2012/11/26/id/465363/
(excerpt)
“The Democrats didn’t have a policy for dealing with illegal immigrants, but what they did have going for them is they weren’t mean-spirited about it,” Trump says. “They didn’t know what the policy was, but what they were is they were kind.”
Romney’s solution of “self deportation” for illegal aliens made no sense and suggested that Republicans do not care about Hispanics in general, Trump says.
(end excerpt)
I congratulate Trump for finally getting on the correct side of the border issue, but it’s only because he knows that will get him a lot of support to win the nomination.
Also, remember in his book “The Art of the Deal” he suggests to always start by aiming for the most you can get, then make concessions to get the deal approved. There is a strong chance that at the end of the negotiations he might only get part of what he is now promising.
Glenn got way over the top.
Wake up the next day and did it again,
Pretty much what the Don does
No, Trump was not a “Johnny-Come-Lately” on “border security” in general, although he did more recently come around to the idea of total deportation of all illegals (as opposed to his earlier position of just focusing on removing illegal criminals). He’s been strong on border security for quite a while now, even discussing it in his 2000 book, The America We Deserve. He devoted a whole chapter of his 2011 book, Time to Get Tough, to securing the border called, “It’s Called Illegal Immigration for a Reason.”
Here are some excerpts that will clarify some of Trump’s positions on the border and the problems of illegal immigration prior to the last presidential election:
“Illegal immigration is a wrecking ball aimed at U.S. taxpayers. Washington needs to get tough and fight for ‘We the People,’ not for the special interests who want cheap labor and a minority voting bloc. Every year taxpayers are getting stuck with a $113 billion bill to pay for the costs of illegal immigration...
“Both sides need to grow up and put America’s interests first—and that means doing what’s right for our economy, our national security, and our public safety...
“Have we suddenly become an annex of Mexico’s prison system? If so, Mexico should pay for it. I actually have a theory that Mexico is sending their absolute worst, possibly including prisoners, in order for us to bear the cost, both financial and social...
“The root cause of all the welfare payments to illegal aliens is the so-called ‘anchor baby’ phenomenon...The child automatically becomes an American citizen, though this was never the intention of the Fourteenth Amendment...
“We’ve all heard it a million times: ‘We need illegal immigrants because they are willing to do jobs Americans just won’t.’ To that one I say, ‘Says who?’ We have 25 million citizens who need jobs, and 7 million illegal immigrants holding American jobs. Do the math...
“Look, if a nation can’t protect its own borders, it ceases to be a country. We’re not just some landmass that anyone who wants to can trample at will. I believe America is an exceptional nation worthy of protection. That requires getting tough on border enforcement...
“The wall there [in Yuma, AZ] is a serious 20-foot wall. It has three walls separated by 75-yard ‘no man’s lands’ for border agents to zoom up and down in vehicles. It also has cameras, radio systems, radar, and pole-topped lights...The point is that properly built walls work. We just need the political will to finish the job.”