Donald Trump’s campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, said on Monday night that the campaign cancelled an immigration speech planned for Thursday in Colorado because the Republican nominee is still fine-tuning his immigration policy.
“It’s for a very simple reason, that’s been on the schedule for a while, we inherited it,” Conway told Fox News’ Megyn Kelly when asked why the speech was cancelled. “Immigration is a very complex issue and to get the solutions right, to come out with your specific plan, should not be rushed. He is taking in the wisdom of many different counselors on this issue.”
Kelly asked Conway if Trump still plans to deport the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.
Conway replied that Trump’s position is “basically the same” as it was earlier in the election cycle.
“First, secure the borders and actually apply and enforce the law,” Conway said of Trump’s plan. “Secondly, you have to deport those who have committed crimes.”
Conway’s description reflects Trump’s comments to Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly on Monday. The Republican nominee appeared to soften his stance on mass deportation, and he even suggested he would follow President Obama’s policy regarding deportation.
Kelly asked Conway if Trump still wants to create a “deportation force.”
“I think a deportation force is more the logistics,” Conway said in response. “In other words, how do you achieve the goal of making sure that we are fair to everyone?”
When pressed again on the deportation force, Conway said Trump was “talking about mechanisms” before conceding that “even Sen. Jeff Sessions, who is a very close advisor in this issue, has never called for a deportation force.”
