Is Trump’s tough plan on immigration cracking?
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump’s tough-talking plan to rein in illegal immigration showed signs of cracking on Sunday, with the president-elect seemingly backing off his vow to build a solid wall along the southern U.S. border and the top House Republican rejecting any “deportation force” targeting people in the country illegally.
In an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes,” Trump said Sunday he would accept a fence in some places along the U.S. southern border where he had promised to build a wall.
During his campaign he insisted he would deport 11 million people living in the country illegally, with exceptions. But he distanced himself from that position as time went on, and in his first television interview since winning the presidential election, Trump said he’s willing to deport or incarcerate 2 million to 3 million people living in the country illegally who “are criminal and have criminal records, gang members, drug dealers.”
Earlier Sunday, House Speaker Paul Ryan, also told CNN’s “State of the Union” that “we are not planning on erecting a deportation force.” Ryan said “I think we should put people’s minds at ease” on mass deportation because the top priority is really border security.