WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump surprised congressional leaders when he suddenly suggested he was open to broad immigration reform. But while there is appetite on Capitol Hill for legislation, there is also skepticism, and the president’s hard-line rhetoric over the past two years could make a compromise bill much harder.
Trump signaled a potential shift on Tuesday in a private meeting with news anchors. The president told them he was open to legislation that would give legal status to some people living in the U.S. illegally and provide a pathway to citizenship to those brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
Those private comments raised expectations that he might make a similar call in his prime-time address. And he did say in his speech that “real and positive immigration reform is possible.” But he also pledged to vigorously target people living in the U.S. illegally who “threaten our communities” and prey on “innocent citizens,” words similar to his campaign speeches.
His mixed message was a prime topic Wednesday.
“I hope that it opens the door for comprehensive immigration reform, which we obviously feel is vital,” said Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who was a member of the so-called Gang of Eight that spearheaded a 2013 immigration bill that ultimately failed after passing the Senate.