WASHINGTON (AP) – Donald Trump’s new line on immigration – “fair, but firm” – is leaving both Republicans and Democrats with the same question: Is the famously hard-line GOP nominee softening his approach?
Trump even suggested Tuesday that he is open to “softening” laws dealing with immigrants. His campaign insists he’s not. But in the course of a few days, Trump has gone from calling for mass deportations for millions – a position to the right of even many Republicans – to arguing deportations should focus on those who commit crimes, veering into the same territory as President Barack Obama and Democrat Hillary Clinton.
So what gives?
If this week’s string of vague and contradictory statements by Trump and his team is revealing anything, it’s that his immigration policy is still evolving. Just days ago Trump reshuffled his campaign staff as part of an effort to recalibrate his message for the general election, in which his tough stance on immigration may be more of a liability than it was in the Republican primary.
On Tuesday, Trump’s campaign postponed a major immigration speech scheduled for this week, but announced he’d hold two events highlighting border security needs and crimes committed by immigrants in the U.S. illegally. And while taping a town hall Tuesday evening in Austin, Texas, for Fox News, Trump said in response to a question from moderator Sean Hannity: “There certainly can be a softening because we’re not looking to hurt people.”