That was a major departure from his previous calls for mass deportation of all 11 million undocumented immigrants. It was a sign that Trump — who is trailing badly in the polls — may be willing to accept a path to legalization for some, even as he continues stirring up his audiences with vows to build a wall with Mexico.
But that’s not the main reason why Trump is softening his immigration rhetoric — because he surely knows that he has near zero chances of significantly raising his support among Hispanics.
Latinos won’t forget that Trump started his campaign with a June 16, 2015, speech in which he claimed that most Mexican undocumented immigrants are criminals and rapists.
Latinos won’t forget that Trump has forcefully called for a “deportation force” to expel the 11 million undocumented immigrants, even if that means separating parents from their young children.
Latinos won’t forget that Trump has disqualified U.S. Judge Gonzalo Curiel because “he’s Mexican,” despite the fact that Curiel was born in Indiana.
And if some Latino voters forget about Trump’s previous statements about Latinos, the Hillary Clinton campaign will surely keep them fresh in the final weeks of the race by beaming Trump’s own offensive remarks in her TV ads.
My opinion: Yes, Trump is carrying out a slow-motion reversal of his rhetoric on illegal immigration. But, no, he’s not doing it because he has any hope of increasing his dismal polling numbers among Latino voters.
He’s doing it because he desperately needs to increase his support among those white Anglo voters who are not racist, nor xenophobic, nor sexist, who don’t laugh at people with physical disabilities, and who — while being Republicans — are afraid of voting for somebody who comes across as a soulless egomaniac autocrat. The changes in Trump’s rhetoric on immigration are cosmetic, and aimed at making him look more “humane” among some anxious white Anglo voters.