For months, the Republican presidential primary has been fueled by anti-immigrant rhetoric. Donald Trump may have built the fire, but he’s got the rest of the field is huddling around it to stay warm.
Hardline opposition to a path to citizenship, DACA, and the DREAM Act have become the GOP’s new normal. Those doing best in the polls also happen to support anti-immigrant profiling and spout xenophobic rhetoric in line with Donald Trump’s own.
To meaningfully criticize Trump on immigration is political suicide, because he has the GOP base in his corner. To be labeled as “pro-amnesty” or “weak on immigration” is a death sentence.
But this isn’t pandering on their part: Cruz, Rubio, and the rest agree with him. That’s why they’re proposing the same xenophobic rhetoric and policies that have Trump polling at 35%.
Here’s a slew of Republicans trying to do their best Donald Trump impressions:
- Ted Cruz opposes both legal status and a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. He might support self-deportation, and he definitely opposes DACA and the DREAM Act. Cruz has also expressed support for Arizona’s “papers please” law.
- Marco Rubio opposes a path to citizenship, comprehensive immigration reform, and DACA. Like Cruz, he’s said he supported Arizona’s “papers please” law.
- Jeb Bush opposes a path to citizenship and DACA, and he spent a week last August denigrating American citizens as “anchor babies” — kick-starting the Republican dialogue on ending 14 Amendment-guaranteed birthright citizenship.
- Ben Carson opposes a path to citizenship, supports ending birthright citizenship, and says he’d “be willing to listen” to ideas about deporting 11 million undocumented immigrants.
- Chris Christie opposes a path to citizenship and DACA.
- John “Finish the Wall” Kasich opposes a path to citizenship, DACA, and sanctuary cities. Latinos are hardworking, Kasich’s said, “and, uh, that’s why in the hotel you leave a little tip.”
Published: Jan 14, 2016