Donald Trump addressed supporters on Wednesday in Arizona, detailing for the first time his plans to tackle immigration as commander-in-chief.
Trump outlined a 10-point plan including a 2,000 mile long wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, zero tolerance for criminal aliens, blocking funding for sanctuary cities and hiring 5,000 more border patrol agents.
“There will be no amnesty,” Trump told the Phoenix crowd. “You cannot obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country. You can’t do it.”
Trump also said he plans to cancel President Obama’s “unconstitutional” executive orders, like the 2012 “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” program, that allow undocumented individuals to work and study in the United States.
“That would really be devastating to me,” Vanessa Rodriguez said. “I’ve worked so hard. I want to give back to America. If I would have stayed in Mexico, I wouldn’t have the opportunities that I have now, and I acknowledge that.”
Rodriguez is a freshman at the University of Texas in Austin under Obama’s DACA program. She grew up in Texas for most of her life, but because she was born in Mexico she is considered an illegal immigrant in the eyes of the government.
“To me I am no different than any other kid who grew up because I learned the same values the same principles, I pledged allegiance to the United States flag,” Rodriguez said. “It never really hit me that I was anything other than American.”
Rodriguez is one of 200,000 undocumented immigrants in Texas that have received a DACA permit.
“Trump called those individuals out to say I will cancel DACA for those individuals,” Immigration lawyer Jason Finkelman said. “So that means if he is elected president, he will take away their work authorization, which will prevent them from working, going to school, getting drivers licenses and being productive members of Texas.”
Finkelman said Trump’s current immigration policy would dramatically impact the Texas economy as well as tear many families apart.
“One thing he did say last night that made sense was rethinking our current immigration system,” Finkelman said. “Currently the system is broken. Whatever side of the aisle you are on, most people would agree that the immigration system is broken. But right now his policy gets rid of the best, brightest, most talented individuals in our country and tears families apart.”
