Trump says he's open to 'softening' immigration laws in 'Hannity' town hall

Trump says he's open to 'softening' immigration laws in 'Hannity' town hall

Published August 23, 2016 FoxNews.com

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said Tuesday he is open to “softening” laws dealing with illegal immigrants in a “Hannity” town hall with Fox News’ Sean Hannity.

His remarks were the latest sign he is considering softening a position he has taken since the onset of his campaign.

Trump was asked by Hannity if he would change current parts of the law to accommodate law-abiding citizens or longtime residents who have raised children in the U.S.

"There could certainly can be a softening because we're not looking to hurt people," Trump answered. "We want people -- we have some great people in this country."

"We have some great, great people in this country but we’re going to follow the laws of this country and what people don’t realize--we have very, very strong laws,” he told Hannity.

WATCH THE 'HANNITY' TOWN HALL AT 10 PM ET ON FOX NEWS

Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump has reiterated that if he is elected in November, he would deport the 11 million people living in the U.S. illegally.

During the town hall, the billionaire businessman polled the audience about what they would do about the immigration policy.

"So you have somebody who's been in the country for 20 years, has done a great job, and everything else," Trump said. "Do we take him and the family and her and him or whatever and send him out?"

His question was met by some cheers over suggestions that immigrants be allowed to stay, while others responded in roars when he suggested deporting them.

The Republican nominee then said he "would come out with a decision very soon" about deportations.

Trump had been scheduled to outline his immigration policies on Thursday in Colorado, but that speech has since been postponed, likely until next week.

His latest comments at the “Hannity” town hall come as he may be moving away from one of his signature proposals during the Republican primary. During an interview Monday on “Fox & Friends,” Trump suggested he wanted a “fair, but firm” immigration policy.

During early days of the primaries, Trump vowed to use a “deportation force” to round up and deport millions of illegal immigrants.

The celebrity businessman, however, has stuck to his vow to build a wall to fortify the nation's southern border with Mexico and to deport immigrants here illegally who have committed criminal and violent acts.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016...town-hall.html

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Trump was asked by Hannity if he would change current parts of the law to accommodate law-abiding citizens or longtime residents who have raised children in the U.S.

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Law-abiding CITIZENS? If they were law-abiding, they wouldn't be here .... and they certainly aren't citizens! Trump should have corrected Hannity immediately on his incorrect usage of words.

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"We have some great, great people in this country but we’re going to follow the laws of this country and what people don’t realize--we have very, very strong laws,” he told Hannity.

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He's going to deport them. When he talked about "fair" he was referring to being "fair" to legal immigrants who wait years in line to come in and he doesn't like the idea of illegal aliens being allowed to stay while legal immigrants who do it the right way have to wait for years.

Trump is NOT going to let Americans down on this. He won't. He won't cheat legal immigrants to favor illegal aliens. He won't risk citizen jobs or lives or taxes by allowing illegal aliens to remain. He won't.

From now to November, he may say things a little softer than he has in the past, but he isn't going to change his policy. And he states in this town hall which I'm watching, that he doesn't need new laws to do his job. He said we already have very very strong laws which means he can deport them all right now with the laws we already have. And he's right. 100%. To do something else, he would need new laws, which he isn't going to ask for, which means they're all going home, swiftly, silently, without fuss or muss, according to law.

He was just asked about visa overstays and he said we have to get them out, they overstayed. So if visa overstays can't stay, then no one is staying.

Illegal aliens have violated the laws and the people of America. To reward them, to give them even more is not fair to the citizens. Illegal aliens left their countries when that was all they knew so why should the families not reverse their actions and take their children and go back to their homelands and relatives.

I don't understand cheers to allow them to stay.

Sounds like the audience is infiltrated heavily with those that want their way, millions of sneakers and getting to stay on our dollar plus job losses, clogging up our hospitals etc. A real takeover, like they have any right at all to be in this country; they don't, they are law breakers.

A large portion of them are criminals of all sorts. Illegals are taking up 20% of prison space at a great cost to us just to house them. It seems the ones cheering had no sympathy for the parents speaking of their great loss due to illegals. They didn't even listen to what was said @ the problems caused by illegals. They do not care, pretend these horrific crimes do not happen.

Trump is saying we have laws, a border and that has to be respected FIRST. They apparently didn't hear that. They want to twist everyone's arms to do what they want - stay here with freebies. So they just shout their demands.

Audiences are heavily planted with anti Trump people and they want him to look bad. It is unfair to him and to the listeners that want to hear what he has to say. Stop forcing your views on others in a disruptive manner.

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Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeach

Illegal aliens have violated the laws and the people of America. To reward them, to give them even more is not fair to the citizens. Illegal aliens left their countries when that was all they knew so why should the families not reverse their actions and take their children and go back to their homelands and relatives.

I don't understand cheers to allow them to stay.

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Those were the protesters that were later hauled out. There were a few cheers on stay, probably a few business people who hire them and these protesters, but roars when he said deport them. The vast majority of the crowd wanted them deported.

More info @

Watch: Donald Trump on Hannity Tonight, Illegal Immigration Town Hall

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Originally Posted by Judy

Those were the protesters that were later hauled out. There were a few cheers on stay, probably a few business people who hire them and these protesters, but roars when he said deport them. The vast majority of the crowd wanted them deported.

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It was the Black Lives Matter and Social Justice Crowd. One person said they were Mexican, Anti- Capitalist, etc. Good that Sean told them they were leaving and that All Lives Matter.

I thought the interaction between Trump and the mothers of the Remembrance Project was amazing. They know him, they trust him, and he truly truly cares about them. He will not let them down.