In 2011, Donald Trump favored a case-by-case review of illegal immigrants -- some "great" and "productive" people; others "total disasters" -- to determine who should stay and who should go.
In 2012, Trump derided Mitt Romney's tone on immigration as "mean-spirited" -- the former Massachusetts governor had hoped that illegal immigrants would "self-deport."
In 2013, Trump seemed to embrace the Gang of Eight bill then on its way to being passed in the U.S. Senate, tweeting that "amnesty" was fine but "only if the border is secure and illegal immigration has stopped."
In 2015, Trump called Mexicans criminals and rapists and promised to build a wall, establish a deportation force, round up all the undocumented immigrants.
When Donald Trump met with what was called his Hispanic council on August 20, he seemed genuinely interested in softening his immigration policy and even accepting a legal status for undocumented immigrants. That night in a speech in Virginia, he barely mentioned immigration policy. On August 21, his press agent responded "To be determined," concerning his pledge to deport all undocumented immigrants. On August 22, on the "Kelly File," the press agent, Conway, said "[Trump will] deport those who have absolutely committed a crime." On August 23, Trump slammed Hillary Clinton for promising "massive amnesty." On May 24, Trump promised "no amnesty." On the same day in Jackson, Mississippi, he blasted the media for downplaying the "plight of Americans." On August 25, another spokesperson, Katrina Pierson, said Trump has not changed his position on immigration. Conway said there would be "no amnesty, no sanctuary cities, and no open borders."
Any mention of softening immigration policy went away when Trump made his long-anticipated but delayed speech on immigration in Arizona. He said he would build a "Great Wall" and Mexico would pay for it. He referenced Dwight Eisenhower's "Operation Wetback" without providing any specifics. He, maybe jokingly, expressed a wish to deport Hillary Clinton. After seemingly having abandoned his earlier pledge to create a "deportation task force, he resurrected the idea in his Arizona speech. Two million "criminal aliens" would be deported, starting on "day one." There would be no amnesty and all illegals would have to leave and then try to come back. He also made an unsupported claim that there were 30 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.
Donald Trump's surrogates made much of how presidential Trump appeared standing at a podium next to Mexican President Nieto; however, almost anyone with even a modest presence of mind could have pulled that simple feat off. More important was that Trump said that he and Nieto hadn't discussed Trump's proposal to have Mexico pay for the "Great Wall." Reuters had reported that Nieto had rejected Trump's proposal and Nieto later tweeted that he had told Trump in the very beginning of their conversation that Mexico would not pay.
A day after the Arizona speech, Donald Trump said that there could be "quite a bit" of softening in how his administration would carry out the deportation. That is, after the criminals are sent out, there could be a lull before the others were sent out. One of the council Hispanics has resigned and another one has said he is unlikely to support or vote for Trump. It is a virtual certainty that there will be Hispanics who may have considered coming over to Trump because of a softening position will now back away due to his hard-line stand. I see it likely that some who originally were brought over to Trump due to his tough position on undocumented immigrants, will back away due to Trump's constantly shifting positions on what he might do on immigration if elected president.
In conclusion, the issue that made it possible for Trump to win the Republican nomination for president, may be the extremely clumsy handling of the issue that will kill any chance of him being elected president.
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