Donald Trump’s Immigration Plans, Including Deportation And Wall At Mexican Border Won’t Happen, Suggests Surrogate
Donald Trump’s key campaign issue has been immigration, as noted by his calls for a large wall at the Mexican border and a mass deportation of 12 million illegal immigrants. Both are popular among Trump’s supporters, but are considered controversial by many opposed to his candidacy. But a close surrogate suggested that the billionaire candidate has no desire to implement either.
Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY), the first member of Congress to endorse Donald Trump for president, said in an interview with The Buffalo News that he does not see those promises becoming reality, should the Republican get elected in November.
“I have called it a virtual wall,” Collins said. “Maybe we will be building a wall over some aspects of it; I don’t know.”
Rep Chris Collins (R-NY): Trump’s going to win regardless of who supports him or not.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) May 12, 2016
Collins also cast doubt on Trump’s promise to have a mass deportation of roughly 12 million Mexican immigrants who are not here legally.
“I call it a rhetorical deportation of 12 million people,” he said of Trump’s proposed policy.”They go out that door, they go in that room, they get their work papers, Social Security number, then they come in that door, and they’ve got legal work status but are not citizens of the United States,” Collins said. “So there was a virtual deportation as they left that door for processing and came in this door.
“We’re not going to put them on a bus, and we’re not going to drive them across the border,” he added.
But towards the end of the interview, the Congressman clarified that he was only speaking for himself.
“I’m not speaking for Donald,” Collins said. “Those were my opinions.”
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Collins: Trump’s Man On Capitol Hill
A Real Clear Politics profile on Collins made it clear that Trump leans very heavily on him, and that he is a much-relied-upon surrogate.
“He sets up meetings with lawmakers hesitant to endorse the billionaire businessman, talks with leadership, including Speaker Paul Ryan, to tout the presumptive nominee, and has become an increasing presence on cable news as a Trump promoter,” Real Clear Politics said.
Real Clear Politics added that much of what Collins does from Trump is “mostly on his own, without much direction or approval from the unconventional Trump campaign.”
This is so much the case that his fellow Congressmen now refer to him as “The Trump Guy.”
A second-term Congressman, Collins comes from a district where 63 percent voted for Trump in the New York primary. Many of his constituents have met him in the grocery store and thanked him for endorsing Trump, he told Real Clear Politics.
But most of his Congressional colleagues are not as enthusiastic.
“Many of the conversations, according to Collins, are with members who are concerned about Trump’s impact on their own re-elections, particularly those who represent moderate, swing districts.”
Collins’ message to those reluctant to support Trump is to “embrace” him.
“Trust me, they’re going to be attacking you anyway,” Collins said he told a skeptical Congressman, according to Real Clear Politics. “They’re going to tag every Republican — every Republican — with every potential made-up, exaggerated negative about Donald Trump.”
Whether or not his down-playing of Trump’s proposed wall at the Mexican border and mass deportation have on his standing with Trump, let alone Trump’s chances of getting elected in November, remain to be seen.
What do you think? Would Donald Trump really follow through on his immigration plans? Or, is he a man of his word? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
[Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]
