Trump Recycles Old Ideas in Pandering to the Far Right

August 16, 2015

Washington, D.C. – Today, LULAC National President, Roger C. Rocha Jr., issued the following statement in response to the release of Donald Trump's immigration position paper:

"Donald Trump’s stated plan for much needed comprehensive immigration reform is nothing more than a restatement of old proposals from the far right. The plan is not based on fact, today’s immigration laws or the U.S. Constitution. Instead, it merely represents the views of those who are more interested in hateful rhetoric than true policy solutions. In fact, Trump’s plan is simply a laundry list of previously rejected ideas of the far right including, building a wall, deporting 11 million people, and ending birthright citizenship. At the very least, we would have hoped that Mr. Trump had some original ideas of his own on such an important issue, but that clearly is not the case.

We need real leadership in developing productive immigration reform. Such leadership requires politicians to put aside the politics of division and instead focuses on solutions to our country’s broken immigration system, which for too long, has punished the people who pick our crops, build our homes, and care for our children.

Two years ago Senators Schumer, McCain, Durbin, Graham, Menendez, Rubio, Bennet, and Flake put forth a bipartisan framework for comprehensive immigration reform. The reform included a balance between increased law enforcement and an earned pathway to citizenship. Unfortunately, the same political instinct to pander to the far right helped kill this bipartisan effort.

We must redouble our efforts in working towards comprehensive immigration reform which provides individuals with a realistic opportunity to excel as part of our workforce in a legal and orderly manner. Such reform would allow millions of hardworking individuals to live the American dream and will serve as a positive force in the nation’s economic recovery."

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org, www.LULAC.org/facebook, and www.LULAC.org/twitter.