WASHINGTON: Donald Trump is committed to a “fair and humane” approach to securing America’s borders, but details of his evolving immigration policy will be revealed at a later time, his presidential campaign team said on Sunday.

The Republican presidential candidate’s hardline stance on repatriating the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States has been a central tenet of Trump’s White House campaign — and a hugely popular selling point to his most ardent supporters.

To keep illegal migrants out, Trump has promised to build a wall on America’s southern border — to be paid for, he has declared at rally after campaign rally, by Mexico.

One year ago, he issued an immigration reform plan calling for an end to automatic citizenship for those born in the United States, a right which some say is abused by undocumented migrants seeking American birthright for their children.

This past week, however, the Republican presidential candidate — once uncompromising in his vow to use a deportation force to repatriate illegal migrants — seemed a little less resolute.

He even suggested in one interview that there could be a “softening” of his position on how to handle undocumented migrants — a sign of vacillation met with dismay by some Trump acolytes. “There certainly can be a ‘softening,’ because we’re not looking to hurt people,” Trump told Fox News town hall last on Tuesday.

Now, in the latest apparent turnaround, his surrogates insisted that Trump remains as committed as ever to maintaining the integrity of America’s borders.

“We’re going to secure the border. We’re going to build a wall, have a physical barrier, enforce the laws of this country,” the billionaire businessman’s White House running mate Mike Pence told CNN.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2016

Opinion

Editorial

Slow start
Updated 15 Jun, 2024

Slow start

Despite high attendance, the NA managed to pass only a single money bill during this period.
Sindh lawlessness
Updated 15 Jun, 2024

Sindh lawlessness

A recently released report describes the law and order situation in Karachi as “worryingly poor”.
Punjab budget
15 Jun, 2024

Punjab budget

PUNJAB’S budget for 2024-25 provides much fodder to those who believe that the increased provincial share from the...
Budget and politics
Updated 14 Jun, 2024

Budget and politics

PML-N, scared of taking bold steps lest it loses whatever little public support it has, has left its traditional support — traders — virtually untouched.
New talks?
14 Jun, 2024

New talks?

WILL this prove another false start, or may we expect a more sincere effort this time? Reference is made to the...
A non-starter
14 Jun, 2024

A non-starter

WHILE the UN Security Council had earlier this week adopted a US-backed resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza...