Thread: Donald Trump Quickly Reverses Flip-Flop on Immigrant Guest-Worker Visas

Donald Trump Quickly Reverses Flip-Flop on Immigrant Guest-Worker Visas

By Michael Oleaga (m.oleaga@latinpost.com)
First Posted: Mar 04, 2016 01:09 PM EST

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump participates in a debate sponsored by Fox News at the Fox Theatre on March 3, 2016 in Detroit, Michigan. Voters in Michigan will go to the polls March 8 for the State's primary. (Photo : Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump offered a clarification on his "changing" view on immigrant guest workers, walking back on what some viewed as a flip-flop.

"I'm Changing, I'm Changing"

During the latest Republican presidential debate on the Fox News Channel on March 3, Trump said his stance on immigrant guest worker visas has changed.

Debate co-moderator Megyn Kelly asked Trump, "Mr. Trump, your campaign website to this day argues that more visas for highly skilled workers would, quote, 'decimate American workers.'

However, at the CNBC debate, you spoke enthusiastically in favor of these visas. So which is it?"

"I'm changing, I'm changing," said Trump.

According to the businessman, the U.S. needs highly-skilled people and if Americans can't do fulfill a job, then "we'll get them in" -- "them" referring to immigrants.

"One of the biggest problems we have is people go to the best colleges ... as soon as they're finished they get shoved out. They want to stay in this country. They want to stay here desperately. They're not able to stay here. For that purpose, we absolutely have to be able to keep the brainpower in this country."

Trump's response was met with some criticism, including fellow Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio. After the debate, Rubio issued a statement that first acknowledged Trump "finally" taking on a position but also how the businessman was likely coerced, by his advisers, to re-clarify the guest worker platform

"Tonight Donald Trump finally took an actual position," Rubio said in a statement on Thursday night. "But as soon as the debate was over, his handlers made him reverse himself. The Republican nominee cannot be somebody who is totally clueless on so many issues, including his signature issue."

Reverting the "Changing"

By the morning of March 4, Trump's campaign issued a clarification on the immigrant guest worker program, known as the H-1B visa program.

"Megyn Kelly asked about highly-skilled immigration. The H-1B program is neither high-skilled nor immigration: these are temporary foreign workers, imported from abroad, for the explicit purpose of substituting for American workers at lower pay," Trump said. "I remain totally committed to eliminating rampant, widespread H-1B abuse and ending outrageous practices such as those that occurred at Disney in Florida when Americans were forced to train their foreign replacements."

"I will end forever the use of the H-1B as a cheap labor program, and institute an absolute requirement to hire American workers first for every visa and immigration program. No exceptions," added the GOP presidential front-runner.

While some pundits may view Trump's H-1B statements as flip-flopping, he did speak about being "flexible" on issues in order to advance an agenda during Thursday night's debate. As Latin Post reported, Trump said he's never seen a successful person without a certain degree of flexibility -- noting an individual goes through a learning process when becoming flexible.

"You have to show a degree of flexibility. If you're going to be one way and you think it's wrong, does that mean the rest of your life you have to go in the wrong direction because you don't want to change?" Trump added.

http://www.latinpost.com/articles/11...s-platform.htm

Sounds better - oddly Mr Trump had the same misunderstanding to that question at the 1st fox debate.

Like Sen Sessions says "He is not perfect".

Trump Now Wants MORE Guest Workers: ‘I Changed My Mind’