Donald Trump's Nativist Fearmongering

Donald Trump’s new plan to limit legal immigration is front and center at tonight’s CNN debate.

Trump has made hardline anti-immigrant policies a litmus test in the 2016 Republican presidential primary. He’s recognized the GOP base’s red meat cravings, and eagerly fed them as much inflammatory rhetoric as they can handle. Trump’s nativist strategy is to alienate, marginalize, and exclude — and each and every day he goes a step further, with the rest of the Republican field following him in near-lockstep.

• Began his campaign by characterizing immigrants are “rapists” and criminals who are bringing drugs and crime;
  
• Blames undocumented immigrants and the “open border” for the opioid epidemic;
  
• Called for ending 14th Amendment-guaranteed birthright citizenship, and denigrated American citizens born to immigrant parents as “anchor babies”;
  
• Pledged to impose large-scale forcible deportation of all undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.; and,
  
• Promised to impose limits on legal immigration. 

• Proposed using Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to “look for” and forcibly deport 11 million undocumented immigrants;
  
• Opposes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants; 
• Is an outspoken critic of DACA and the DREAM Act; and even
• Joined Trump in blaming undocumented immigrants for the opioid epidemic.

• Said he’d end Obama’s executive order protecting Dreamers against deportation on day one.
  
• Opposes a path to citizenship.
  
• Opposes comprehensive immigration reform — hard to believe it’s the same guy who helped outline and pass a comprehensive reform bill less than three years ago; and
• Supported Arizona’s “Papers Please” law. 

• Wants to bring the the country together by getting “the [it] to unite around” finishing “the wall.” 
• Opposes a path to citizenship;
• Opposes DACA;
• Opposes  sanctuary cities; 
• Says Latinos are hardworking, so “uh, that’s why in the hotel you leave a little tip.”