Trump's move twisted the political kaleidoscope, infuriating the small but generously-funded and vocal virulently anti-immigrant faction of the GOP. Trump thereby also put to an end (at least for the moment) the aspersions on his mental stability.
Trump, in his 90 minute White House chat with Congressional leaders, touched on one of the basic facts that made this move possible, economic growth:
Robust economic growth makes generosity on immigration a real political possibility.
The climactic moment of the exchange on immigration was here:
Sixty-two percent of the Trump voters support a pathway to citizenship for the DACA kids if you have strong borders. You have created an opportunity in here, Mr. President, and you need to close the deal.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Lindsey. You know, it's very interesting because I do have people that are — just to use a very common term — very far right and very far left. They're very unhappy about what we're doing, but I really don't believe they have to be, because I really think this sells itself. And, you know, when you talk about comprehensive immigration reform, which is where I would like to get to eventually — if we do the right bill here, we are not very far way. You know, we've done most of it. You want to know the truth, Dick? If we do this properly, DACA, you're not so far away from comprehensive immigration reform.
And if you want to take it that further step, I'll take the heat, I don't care. I don't care — I'll take all the heat you want to give me, and I'll take the heat off both the Democrats and the Republicans. My whole life has been heat. (Laughter.) I like heat, in a certain way. But I will.
I mean, you are somewhat more traditional politicians. Two and a half years ago, I was never thinking in terms of politics. Now I'm a politician. You people have been doing it, many of you, all your lives. I'll take all the heat you want. But you are not that far away from comprehensive immigration reform. And if you wanted to go that final step, I think you should do it.
"I think that's terrible," added Trump, who was a regular guest on the show. "We have to be careful of that, Steve. You know, we have to keep our talented people in this country."
The telling word? "Our."
Trump is not the ogre he is being painted as. Nor is his heart reserved for the "greats." As Peter Thiesson wrote for The Washington Post as reprinted in The Chicago Tribune, Trump has a soft spot for illegal immigrants: "They got brought here at a very young age, they've worked here, they've gone to school here. Some were good students. Some have wonderful jobs. And they're in never-never land because they don't know what's going to happen."
Which political leader made these compassionate remarks about the "Dreamers" (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) — the roughly 1.8 million children who were brought to this country illegally by their parents and know no other home than the United States?
President Barack Obama? Hillary Clinton?
Trump told Time magazine during his "Person of the Year" interview that while he was not backing off his pledge to rescind Obama's executive amnesty, when it comes to the Dreamers, "We're going to work something out that's going to make people happy and proud."
… Actually, for those who were paying attention, Trump's heart has always been soft on immigration — not just for Dreamers but for most illegal immigrants.
During the presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly said that he wanted to find a way for the vast majority of illegal immigrants (the "good ones," as he called them) to get right with the law and secure legal status.
The mainstream media ignored this, because this did not fit with the media's narrative of a heartless Trump who wanted to break up families and send all 11 million illegal immigrants permanently back to their countries of origin.I am a proud, card-carrying, long time member of the far right. It thus surprises some people that I am so passionately and outspokenly pro-immigrant and in favor of a path to earned citizenship by those here and of good character. It really shouldn't be surprising. As I wrote here:
Immigrants, if embraced, will be an El Dorado for the conservative movement and Republican Party. Bannon, attuned to blue collar workers, resonates to the perception that immigrants are taking away American jobs. I too -- a dues-paying member of the AFL-CIO -- am attuned to my fellow workers but believe the problem to be one of lack of a climate of equitable prosperity. This creates a false consciousness that immigrants, rather than economic stagnation, are the cause of the lack of good jobs and upward mobility.
Depends on whether the GOP will welcome them with open arms, as equals in the party, and compete for their loyalty. After the Cubans flocked to Florida during the "Mariel boatlift" they initially approached the Florida Democratic Party, which, being then the majority party and not interested in sharing patronage with newcomers, rebuffed them.
So, the Cubans turned to the Florida GOP which – being small and weak -- welcomed them with open arms. Soon thereafter, with the energy, money, and enthusiastic engagement of the Cubans, the Florida GOP achieved political dominance. That's how it works.
A few years ago, the then-chairman of the Texas GOP, Steve Munisteri, showed exactly how to recruit ethnics – Hispanics, Blacks, and Asians. You win their respect by offering them roles of equal dignity and power, not by "messaging" them for their votes. The Texas GOP invited them in as Republican Party officials and candidates.
The ethnics flocked into the Texas Republican Party in droves. This is just as it should be. The Texas GOP was, at the end of the 19th century a predominantly Black, and Black-led, party. Ironically it was the Democrats of that era that marginalized Blacks and Hispanics. Per Wikipedia:
America is, on balance, much enriched by its immigrants, whether or not documented, socially and culturally as well as economically. Illegal Alien #1 is Superman, who was delivered by his parents from the destruction of their home planet Krypton and arrived in Kansas, swaddled, in a rocket. He arrived, of course, without a visa. And became the preeminent icon of "Truth, Justice, and the American Way."
From a conservative perspective, as I have pointed out elsewhere Mexico's equivalent to the Declaration of Independence -- the Grito de Dolores -- is an archconservative statement which any Tea Partier could proudly salute:
Trump is invested in keeping the Dreamers here. He also is willing to take the heat for paving a path to citizenship -- the "big beautiful door" in his wall as promised -- for the estimated 11M undocumented in return for getting a grip on future enforcement. While we are at it, let's issue golden tickets for the Haitians, the Nicaraguans, and the Salvadorans who have been, or were, here for long enough to put down roots under Temporary Protected Status.
It's a humanitarian thing, yes. And it's in America's self-interest. As Trump said, "We have to be careful of that Steve. You know, we have to keep our talented people in this country."
President Reagan gave America its most recent massive immigration reform 30 long years ago. It also provided a path to citizenship. Reagan, in signing this legislation, observed:
In 1981 this administration asked the Congress to pass a comprehensive legislative package, including employer sanctions, other measures to increase enforcement of the immigration laws, and legalization. The act provides these three essential components.
Comprehensive immigration reform? Good for America. Good for conservatives. Good for the GOP.
I don't know about you. But #ImWithReagan.
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Ralph Benko is an advisor to nonprofit and advocacy organizations, is a member of the Conservative Action Project, a contributor to the ARRA News Service. Founder of The Prosperity Caucus, he was a member of the Jack Kemp supply-side team, served in an unrelated area as a deputy general counsel in the Reagan White House. The article which first appeared in Forbes.
Tags: Ralph Benko, Forbes, President Trump, Superman, Ronald Reagan, And Immigration To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!
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