Donald Trump vowed Wednesday to remove millions of people living in the country illegally if he becomes president, warning that failure to do so would jeopardize the “well-being of the American people.”
Yet the Republican presidential nominee failed to outline what he would do with those who have not committed crimes beyond their immigration offenses, which was seen as a sharp retreat after promises during his primary campaign to create a “deportation force” to remove the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the country illegally.
“The truth is, the central issue is not the needs of the 11 million illegal immigrants,” Mr. Trump said, arguing that “only the out-of-touch media elites think the biggest problems facing American society today is that there are 11 million illegal immigrants who don’t have legal status.”
“We will be fair, just and compassionate to all,” he added. “But our greatest compassion must be for our American citizens.”
Mr. Trump instead was viewed as repeating the standard Republican talking point that only after securing the border can a discussion begin to take place about what to do about those who remain, ducking the major question that has frustrated past congressional attempts at remaking the nation’s immigration laws.
Yet the fiery speech was filled with applause lines for Mr. Trump’s loyal supporters, including his insistence that immigrants in the country without permission who wish to seek legal status or citizenship must return to their home countries in order to do so.
“We will issue detainers for illegal immigrants arrested for any crime whatsoever,” he said, going further than other Republicans who have called for felons to be deported.
He also drew cheers when he outlined plans to triple the number of immigration deportation officers and create a new, special task force that would prioritize the deportation of criminals, people who have overstayed their visas and other immediate security threats.
“Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation,” Mr. Trump charged in the highly anticipated speech, which took place hours after Mr. Trump met with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in a hastily arranged meeting.
He added, “There will be no amnesty.”