Donald Trump lays out 10-point immigration plan in Phoenix speech
Aug 31, 2016, 7:51 PM | Updated: Sep 1, 2016, 11:12 am
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivers an immigration policy speech during a campaign rally at the Phoenix Convention Center, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
PHOENIX — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump laid out his highly-anticipated immigration plan during a speech in Phoenix on Wednesday.
Trump’s 10-step plan included several factors, but primarily relies on identifying and quickly deporting anyone in the country illegally.
One of his largest points was not allowing amnesty for those who have crossed the border with hopes of becoming a United States citizen.
“You cannot obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United Stats by illegally entering our country,” he said, adding that the only path to citizenship would be to return to their home country and go through the application process.
“Anyone here illegally is subject to deportation,” he said, but the plan specifically targets those who have committed crimes or are incarcerated.
Trump also said he wants to expand the manpower of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to track down those living illegally in the country.
“Within ICE, I am going to create a special deportation task force focused on identifying and removing illegal immigrants in America that have evaded justice, just like Hillary Clinton has evaded justice,” he said, taking a shot at the Democratic presidential nominee. “Maybe they’ll deport her.”
He said he would specifically target known criminals as soon as he enters the White House.
“Day One, my first hour in office, those people are gone,” he said, adding that local police departments would be nothing but pleased to have “these thugs” removed from the streets.
Those in the country illegally who are arrested would also receive sped-up legal proceedings in order to deport them as soon as possible.
He said he wants to end all catch-and-release programs, instead favoring the immediate processing and removal of those apprehended crossing the border.
“Anyone who illegally crosses the border will be detained until they are removed from our country and taken back to the country from which they came,” he said, adding that the policy would apply to any nation, not just Mexico.
But deportation is just part of the plan. Trump said, after forcing people out of the U.S., he would force the person’s home country to accept them.
“We (the U.S.) say, ‘OK, we’ll keep them.’ That’s not going to happen with me folks,” he said.
His plan also includes his famed wall, the idea of which has expanded. Trump would not only build his wall along the border with Mexico, but force Mexico to pay for it.
“Mexico will work with us. I absolutely believe it,” Trump, who met with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, said. During the meeting, Peña Nieto denied his nation would pay.
Trump’s wall would also include technology to monitor the space both “above and below” the wall, towers to be staffed by Border Patrol and aerial surveillance.
The wall would be staffed by Border Patrol agents. The nominee said he plans to hire an additional 5,000 Border Patrol agents after he is elected.
“We will put them on the border instead of behind desks,” he said.
Trump would also look to remove temptation for those who would enter the country illegally.
“We will ensure that E-Verify is used to the fullest extent under existing law,” he said, mentioning the federal government program designed to ensure that employees being hired are citizens.
He also wants to cut federal funding for so-called sanctuary cities, which shelter illegal immigrants, and enforce immigration laws that have already been passed.
But Trump’s plan does not only affect those entering the country illegally. He wants to suspend the issuance of visas to countries that do not have an adequate vetting system — such as Syria and Lybia, which he mentioned by name — in place.
“I want extreme (vetting),” he said. “It’s going to be tough.”
Trump would also look to implement an ideological test to those applying for a visa to ensure the applicant not only likes Americans, but aligns with American culture.
He would look to punish those who overstay visas as well.
“Removing visa overstays would be a top priority of my administration,” he said.
Trump would also like to see the U.S. implement a biometric entry and exit system to monitor those who are entering the country.
