Donald Trump detailed an “America first” immigration policy during a speech Wednesday night in Phoenix, Arizona after weeks of speculation and anticipation about the Republican nominee’s plan to deal with the millions of illegal immigrants that are living in the United States.
“Immigration reform…should mean improvements to our laws and policies to make life better for American citizens,” Trump stated, saying immigration reform shouldn’t mean amnesty and open borders.
“We will enforce all of our immigration laws,” the Republican nominee proclaimed. “And the same goes for government benefits.”
The Republican nominee said it’s the country’s right to choose immigrants that will assimilate and love the country.
“There is only one core issue in the immigration debate… the well-being of the American people,” he stressed. “Nothing even comes a close second.”
‘We will treat everyone living or residing in our country with great dignity,” he added, but noted, “Our greatest compassion must be for our American citizens.”
Addressing the illegal immigrants who are already in the U.S., Trump said there will be no amnesty, stating that in order to obtain legal status, “They will have one route… to return home and apply for reentry like everyone else.”
He went on to list several Americans who were killed by illegal immigrants who had been allowed into the country despite criminal records under the Obama administration and at the end of his speech had Angel mothers, who lost children and family members to illegal immigrants, join him on stage.
Trump said as President of the United States he will build a wall along the southern border. “Mexico will pay for the wall,” he doubled-down on his consistent promise. “They don’t know it yet, but they’re going to pay for it.”
He added that he will end “catch and release.”
“Under my administration, anyone who illegally crosses the border will be detained until they are removed out of our country,” he stated.
He said there will be zero tolerance for criminal aliens.
Trump vowed to ask Congress to pass Kate’s Law – named after Kate Steinle, a young American woman who was shot and killed in San Francisco by a convicted felon and Mexican national here illegally in the U.S. – to ensure that criminal aliens who are convicted receive mandatory sentences and then are deported.
Trump said he will create a deportation task force within U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that focuses on removing criminal illegal immigrants who have evaded justice — like Hillary Clinton, Trump joked. “Maybe they’ll be able to deport her,” he jabbed.
The New Yorker said he will employ 5,000 more border patrol agents to patrol the border as well as increase the number of border patrol stations.
Trump promised that he will block funding for sanctuary cities and terminate President Obama’s executive amnesty orders.
The Republican nominee also said he will suspend visas to places where adequate screening cannot occur, addressing the threat of terrorists entering the United States, adding he wants “extreme vetting.” Syria and Libya would be countries where immigration would be suspended, according to the real estate mogul.
“We must change our leadership in Washington and we must change it quickly,” to fix the immigration system, Trump declared.
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