Conservative Media Extol Virtue Of Trump's Immigration Plan

Written by Nicholas Rogers & Cydney Hargis

Published

Conservative media hailed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's newly released immigration plan that would end the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of birthright citizenship and build a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border, calling it “remarkable” and likening its political magnitude to the Magna Carta.

Trump Releases Immigration Position Paper

AP: Trump's Immigration Plan Would Deny Citizenship To Babies Of Undocumented Immigrants Born In The U.S. Donald Trump's newly released immigration plan calls for Mexico to pay to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and seeks an end to birthright citizenship, as the Associated Press explained:

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump wants to deny citizenship to the babies of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally as part of an immigration plan that emphasizes border security and deportation for millions.

He would also rescind Obama administration executive orders on immigration.

Trump described his expanded vision of how to secure American borders during a wide-ranging interview Sunday on NBC's “Meet The Press,” saying that he would push to end the constitutionally protected citizenship rights of children of any family living illegally inside the U.S.

“They have to go,” Trump said, adding: “What they're doing, they're having a baby. And then all of a sudden, nobody knows ... the baby's here.”

Native-born children of immigrants -- even those living illegally in the U.S. -- have been automatically considered American citizens since the adoption of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution in 1868. [Associated Press, 8/17/15] [donaldjtrump.com, accessed 8/17/15]

Right-Wing Media Hail Trump's Immigration Plan Policy Paper As “Remarkable,” Akin To “The Magna Carta”

Fox & Friends: Trump's Immigration Position Paper Is A “Remarkable Political Document.” Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy extolled Trump's newly released immigration plan as a “remarkable political document” and “an early Christmas gift” for conservatives who desire immigration reform.

BRIAN KILMEADE: Let's look at what Donald Trump is doing. He's doing what he promised when it came to one of the most substantive and consequential issues out there. He's put together a detailed immigration plan.

ELISABETH HASSELBECK: Some saying initially that he was too vague. Strong on his delivery, but vague on the details. But now the details have come forward. He said he wants a wall across the southern border, and he's calling for deportation of millions of immigrants in the United States that are here illegally. Also ending of automatic citizenship for children -

KILMEADE: This is the biggest -

HASSELBECK: -- born to foreigners in the United States. Really making a differentiation there between his plan and what Jeb Bush has laid out thus far. Also saying that the plan must improve jobs, wages, and security for all Americans. He lays out on his website the three core principles on immigration reform which this is founded on, that it's not a nation if it doesn't have borders, a nation without laws is not a nation, and a nation that does not serve its own citizens is not a nation.

STEVE DOOCY: Absolutely. So for the candidate who had been -- you know, the critics have said, you know, he's all style, no substance -- he's come out with this remarkable political document on immigration. He sat down with, actually stood up in his 757 yesterday for part of the interview with Chuck Todd on Meet the Press.

[...]

HASSELBECK: But if you go in and look at his policy, he wants to triple the number of ICE officers. He wants nationwide e-verify. He wants mandatory return of all criminal aliens. He wants to defund sanctuary cities. He wants detention, not catch and release. Enhance penalties for overstaying a visa and completion of that visa tracking system, which is yet to be done, and he wants ICE to work with local officials in terms of gang members.

KILMEADE: A lot of this is aspirational. You're not gonna kick out 20 million, 30 million, 12 million, depending on the number. You got to find them first.

DOOCY: It's an early Christmas gift to conservatives who have looked at the immigration problem in this country and said can't anybody do anything? [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 8/17/15]

Ann Coulter: “Greatest Political Document Since The Magna Carta.”In an August 16 tweet, conservative commentator Ann Coulter praised Trump's immigration proposal, likening it to the Magna Carta:

[Twitter.com, 8/16/15] 

Jim Hoft: “Trump's Immigration Plan ... Puts Americans Before Foreigners.” Gateway Pundit blogger Jim Hoft lauded Trump's immigration plan, saying it “puts Americans before foreigners”:

[Twitter.com, 8/16/15]

Breitbart.com: “Donald Trump Releases Immigration Reform Plan Designed To Get Americans Back To Work.”  Brietbart.com called Trump's ideas “a completely new look at immigration and a complete overhaul of the current system, politicians' priorities, and special interest involvement”:

The plan details not just that Trump believes in putting “American workers first” over the interest of foreign workers, foreign nations, and special interests, but how he would do so. Trump is the first and only presidential candidate this cycle who has done this and gone into this level of policy detail. [Breitbart.com, 8/16/15]

Fox's Todd Starnes: “Trump Puts Americans First, Not Illegals.” In an August 17 piece on Fox Nation, Fox News radio host Todd Starnes applauded Trump's immigration policy paper, saying that “Trump understands ... that the United States of America has been invaded by millions of illegals”:

What I'm about to tell you is politically incorrect, but it needs to be said. There's a reason why Donald Trump is smoking his Republican competition -- he wants to put Americans first, not the illegals.

Trump understands a fundamental truth -- that the United States of America has been invaded by millions of illegals from Mexico and parts due south.

The illegals are pillaging and plundering our economy. They are raping and murdering our fellow countrymen. They have been given accommodation at the expense of the American taxpayer.

And yet our elected leaders in Congress and the White House have chosen to stand down as the sovereignty of our great nation has been violated.

So while the politicians and pundits have scampered away from the issue, Trump stepped up to the plate and offered a concise plan that would secure our border and restore our sovereignty. [Fox Nation, 8/17/15] 

National Review: Trump's Immigration Policy Represents Good Principles. National Review wrote that Trump's “three core principles” are “admirable”:

Maddening as he is, Donald Trump seems to have intuited that consensus and its deficiencies, and his “three core principles” are admirable -- they express forcefully and succinctly the existential question that is at the root of the immigration debate. The question for Trump is whether these good principles have led to good policies. At a glance, there is some sense in his plan (nationwide e-Verify, an end to catch-and-release policies, defunding sanctuary cities) and a fair amount of nonsense. But getting the principles right is crucial, and it is more than some other candidates have managed. The candidate who wants to be formidable, and knock Trump from his perch, would assert The Donald's principles, then bolster them with solid policies. [National Review, The Corner, 8/16/15]

Limbaugh: “People Are Standing Up And Cheering” Trump's Immigration Plan. On August 17, Rush Limbaugh celebrated Trump's immigration plan, saying people are “standing up and cheering” because they “don't want their country given away” to illegal immigrants: 

LIMBAUGH: Trump's immigration plan, back to it. Before I read it specifically from his, his website, You know, he wants to build a wall and have Mexico pay for it. He wants to deport all undocumented immigrants. They have to go. Now the inside the beltway people, when they hear that, they cringe. 'Don't say that's what Republicans, oh God.' People are standing up and cheering. They don't want their country given away, for crying out loud, and to pay people at the same time. He wants to do away with, rescind, Obama's executive amnesty program. He wants to triple the number of immigration and customs enforcement agents in America. He wants to revert to the tariff system that existed prior to the passage of NAFTA. And he would end the practice of granting U.S. citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants. Bye bye anchor babies. And I'm telling you, that one has people standing up and cheering. He wants to make changes in the 14th amendment so that that cannot happen. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 8/17/15]