(Prezography photo)
By Bob Eschliman
Editor
For months, the chief complaint many long-time political observers have made is that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, the clear frontrunner for the GOP nomination, was long on description, but short on specifics, about his plans to “Make America Great Again.”
Not anymore. And it’s got everyone talking about Donald Trump (again) — even those who really would rather be talking about anyone else. Those who were hoping to see an end to his campaign are probably wishing they hadn’t asked for specifics, because Trump’s immigration plan is going to sound good to a whole lot of Americans across the political spectrum.
Sunday, his campaign released the first of what it promises will be many white papers with specifics of how he plans to do what he has said from the beginning of the campaign he will do, if elected president. And, in typical Trump style, he used the unveiling as an opportunity to undercut some of his competitors.
“When politicians talk about ‘immigration reform’ they mean: amnesty, cheap labor and open borders,” he said via a campaign press release unveiling the plan. “The Schumer-Rubio immigration bill was nothing more than a giveaway to the corporate patrons who run both parties.
“Real immigration reform puts the needs of working people first — not wealthy globetrotting donors. We are the only country in the world whose immigration system puts the needs of other nations ahead of our own. That must change.”
Trump’s plan covers three main points. They are:
• A nation without borders is not a nation. There must be a wall across the southern border — his plan also spells out how he would get “Mexico to pay for the wall,” largely through increased fees attached to temporary visas and border-crossing cards.
• A nation without laws is not a nation. Laws passed in accordance with our Constitutional system of government must be enforced — tripling the number of ICE officers at the border, mandating nationwide use of E-Verify, the removal of all criminal illegals, an end to “catch and release,” defunding “sanctuary cities,” increasing penalties for visa overstays, cracking down on violent gangs operating in the U.S., and ending birthright citizenship.
• A nation that does not serve its own citizens is not a nation. Any immigration plan must improve jobs, wages and security for all Americans — increasing the “prevailing wage” for jobs hired through the H1-B visa program, require that Americans with the requisite skills are hired first, means testing (must be able to pay for their own housing, food, and medical care) before immigration into the U.S. is allowed, replace the J-1 visa program with a job-skills program aimed at inner city youth, increase the application standards for admission by asylum seekers and refugees and use savings to promote the adoption of American children, and a “pause” in the issuance of green cards during which employers must hire from within the existing immigrant and unemployed American labor pool.
The plan may be read in its entirety by CLICKING HERE.
Reaction to Trump’s immigration plan has been exactly what one might expect: a mixed bag.
The Boston Herald was “stunned.”
Breitbart says Democrats are in a “panic.”
The Los Angeles Times likened it to Ross Perot, “only worse.”
During Sunday’s episode of “Meet the Press,” host Chuck Todd got into a somewhat testy exchange with Trump about the plan. And, as usual, it is likely — at leastin the eyes of average Americans — Trump came out of it largely unscathed. CLICK HERE to see the exchange.
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