"Classy" Trump reveals his immigration plan
by digby
I watched this CNN Trump interview yesterday and was struck by the honesty with which Trump answered the question about what to do with undocumented immigrants:
Donald Trump, the Republican presidential hopeful who shot up to the head of the pack over his controversial comments about illegal immigrants, is finally starting to lay out an immigration policy.
Trump said Wednesday in an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash that as president he would deport all undocumented immigrants and then allow the “good ones” to reenter the country through an “expedited process” and live in the U.S. legally, though not as citizens….
Trump would not say how he would locate, round up and deport the 11 million undocumented immigrants he says must go. Instead, he deflected, saying that while it may be a task too tall for politicians, it isn’t for a business mogul like himself.
“Politicians aren’t going to find them because they have no clue. We will find them, we will get them out,” Trump said. “It’s feasible if you know how to manage. Politicians don’t know how to manage.”
He said over and over again that all "illegals" had to go and then he'd let some of the "good ones" back in temporarily to pick our lettuce and clean up after us but they can never become citizens. Ever.
It's important that he said this and important the people understand that is what his supporters want to hear.
John Heielman conducted a focus group of Trump supporters in New Hampshire. They had some reservations about Trump's ability to win the election but weren't in the least bit bothered by his demeaning comments about immigrants.
Here's how they describe him:
“Classy,” said Cheryl, a real estate agent.
“I think it would be exciting,” Roger said. “I really do. I look forward to it. It'll be an interesting thing every day.”
“I think he'd be calling out everybody,” John, a construction worker, said. “I think it'd be pretty good.”
Some even foresaw that day in terms familiar to many Democrats.
“He would surround himself with the best and the brightest,” retired school teacher Don said. “To the American people it would be a presidency of hope.”
Oy.
Ed Kilgore looks at Trump's "proposal" realistically:
Estimates of the cost of mass deportation of the undocumented start at about $265 billion and range on up from there; one key variable is whether a sufficiently terroristic atmosphere would encourage some of these people to “self-deport,” as Mitt Romney surmised. Trump might even claim some of these folk will self-deport to get a prime place in the line to reenter the country as a permanent helot class if they pass muster. In any event, it would indeed make this country a very different place.
Now that Trump’s forced this issue right out in the open, it’s time for us all to ask him and other Republicans who won’t endorse a path to legalization exactly how much they are willing to spend in money and in lost civil liberties to implement their plans. No sense weaseling around and dog-whistling this issue any more.
What are the odds that Fox News will open that can of worms in the August 6th debate?
Update: CNN also interviewed some Trump supporters. Double oy:
Asked whether Trump's comments questioning Arizona Sen. John McCain's heroism offended them, some said they were actually more offended by McCain's comments when he called those who showed up for Trump's rally "crazies."
"Don't forget McCain insulted the 'crazies,' which is a blanket insult," Susan DeLemus said.
And Paula Johnson pointed out that some of Trump's supporters are also, veterans.
"Mr . Trump did say four times that McCain was a war hero and again," Sean Van Anglen, a Republican, said, adding that "the media and everyone is only playing that one clip."
And Jerry DeLemus, a veteran, said that Trump has an issue with McCain as a "sitting senator," not as a veteran.
"As a Marine ... we like guys who don't get captured, too," he said. "I don't think that he meant that as an insult to POWs or the military at all."
"I like that he's not a politician. I'm tired of politicians," Johnson, a Republican said. "I'm tired of the sugar-coating that they tell us that they're going to fix this economy. I believe Mr. Trump really wants to make America great again."
"Our country is in terrible economic condition and middle class America has been decimated over the last 30 years. Donald Trump has taken businesses and companies and turned them around, made them profitable again," DeLemus said.
"He says what he means. I honestly believe he's telling the truth," Susan DeLemus said, echoing a sentiment shared by all six supporters.
When Camerota asked the group whether Trump's tone is presidential, Johnson said "Well, what's presidential anymore?"
"I mean we have a president sitting in the white house right now. He's taking so many vacations its costing the tax payers dollars," Johnson said. "What has he done for America?"
Trump, Johnson said, "will take us above that" and make "America the way we once were."
Some said that the issue of immigration would not have risen to the national spotlight had Trump not highlighted it.
"I think that immigration is the most important issue facing our country today," said Ryan Girdusky, a Republican.
"What do you think is Donald Trump's immigration policy?" Camerota asked.
"Certainly, to crack down on sanctuary cities," Girdusky said. "I don't think that Katherine Steinle's death would have gotten the coverage it did had Donald Trump not been speaking about this."
Donald Trump heads to the border
And none of the six Trump supporters were bothered by his comments that Mexican immigrants are "rapists" and drug dealers.
"He didn't say Mexicans, he said Mexico," Jerry DeLemus said, which is also a distinction that Trump has repeatedly made. "His point was that Mexico is outmaneuvering America and they are out maneuvering us. What other country in the world would allow that type of illegal immigration to come across the border?"
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