CINCINNATI: “Crushed.” ‘‘Disappointed.” ‘‘Confused.”
Some Hispanic leaders who have been advising Donald Trump say they feel betrayed after his long-awaited immigration speech that definitively ruled out a pathway to legal status for people living in the country illegally.
Trump stopped short of calling for the mass deportation of millions of people who have not committed crimes beyond their immigration offenses. But he also ruled out what he dismissed as “amnesty,” saying those who want to live legally in the U.S. will need to leave and head to the back of the line in their home countries.
“People will know that you can’t just smuggle in, hunker down and wait to be legalized,” Trump declared in his hard-line speech Wednesday night. “Those days are over.”
The language caught off guard a group of Hispanic faith and business leaders who have been advising him, often in the face of criticism from their own communities. In closed-door meetings, phone calls and in public statements, Trump and his aides had given many the impression that he was prepared to soften his stance on immigration as he tries to court more moderate, general election voters and boost his standing with Hispanics and other minorities.
Now, some feel Trump misled them.
“There’s several of us who have gone out on a limb, if you will, to try to at least be at the table of reason with him, and that’s left us confused and disappointed,” said Tony Suarez, the executive vice president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. He’s been among those pushing Trump to moderate his stance.
Suarez said that in a Monday conference call with faith leaders, Trump was asked explicitly whether they would see a softening or any “hope” for at least some of the people currently living in the shadows.
“He said, ‘Yes,’ and he thought we would be very pleased on Wednesday,” said Suarez. “The impression given on the call was not what we heard last night.”
Alfonso Aguilar, president of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, said he is withdrawing his support of Trump.
“From a political perspective, this is the end of Donald Trump. I really think now he’s definitely going to lose.”
Trump’s campaign, however, insisted the billionaire businessman had never wavered and has consistently advocated ‘‘for an end to illegal immigration,’’ said Jason Miller, the campaign’s senior communications adviser.
Later Thursday, the Trump campaign confirmed it has tapped Citizens United President David Bossie to serve as his deputy campaign manager.
Bossie has known Trump for years, and has advised him informally.
The GOP nominee told the Washington Post that Bossie is: “Solid. Smart. Loves politics, knows how to win.”
Citizens United is best known for bringing the Supreme Court case that dramatically scaled back regulations on unions and corporations regarding political spending.