Donald Trump’s campaign manager said Sunday that the Republican presidential nominee is not backing off his tough stance on illegal immigration but is re-examining the need for a new deportation force.
“He’s going to build the wall, no amnesty, no citizenship, no more sanctuary cities,” Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said on “Fox News Sunday.”
“The softening is more approach than policy,” she said. “We want to find a fair and humane way, and if you enforce the law and you deal with those agencies that already exist to enforce the law, then we’ll will see what we’ve got.”
Mrs. Conway stressed that Mr. Trump’s position remains in stark contrast to that of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who she said supports expanding President Obama’s executive amnesty for illegal immigration — a “catch-and-release” policy for Border Patrol and sanctuary cities.
Mr. Trump encountered blowback from his base last week when said he was “softening” his position on illegal immigration, which was the cornerstone of his candidacy and at times included a promise to establish a deportation force to remove the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States.
The softening of his approach came as he stepped up efforts to woo Hispanic voters. He increasingly has focused his deportation strategy on illegal immigrants who are violent criminals.
Mrs. Conway said that a Trump administration would not offer a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants other that having them leave the country and return legally.
“We all learned in kindergarten to stand in line and wait our turn. He is saying that as well,” she said.
The same the “touchback” approach that has been favored for the past decade by moderate Republicans but failed to galvanize the GOP base.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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