The issues: Where do Trump and Clinton stand on immigration?
By Brian Goldsmith
In the latest edition of “2016 The Choice,” Yahoo News and Finance Anchor Bianna Golodryga spoke to Yahoo News Political Consultant Brian Goldsmith about the divisive issue of immigration — and where Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton stand.
Beginning on June 16, 2015, when he announced his candidacy by describing some Mexican immigrants as criminals and rapists, Trump has made mass deportation of undocumented immigrants a major focus of his campaign. Clinton has responded by echoing President Obama’s call for “comprehensive immigration reform” and a path to citizenship for undocumented workers.
Those divergent stances have scrambled the political map — creating an opportunity for Clinton to compete in traditionally Republican states that are more diverse, such as Arizona. But they have also increased Trump’s strength in parts of the Midwest where many blue-collar workers believe their livelihoods have been threatened by immigrants.
Given the Supreme Court’s decision earlier this year to strike down some of Obama’s executive actions, either Trump or Clinton would need congressional cooperation to move forward on their immigration agendas. For Clinton, in particular, success or failure may be determined by House Speaker Paul Ryan’s willingness to compromise, especially as he considers his own presidential prospects four years from now.
