Immigration has been the hot-button issue of the 2016 presidential race.
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were taking opposite roads to immigration reform—until last week. In the wake of a meeting with his new Hispanic advisory council, Trump made comments that suggested he may be softening his hard-line immigration policy.
The Republican nominee is currently indicating that rather than rounding up and deporting 11 million undocumented immigrants, there would be a “process.” What, exactly, that process would look like remains unexplained.
For now, here’s a look at where the two presidential candidates stand on immigration issues.
Pledges comprehensive reform to create a pathway to citizenship; keep families together; end family detention; and create of an Office of Immigrant Affairs to coordinate immigration policies.
IMMIGRATION REFORM
Pledges to suspend immigration from countries compromised by terrorism; ban Muslims from entering the U.S.; impose “extreme vetting” and set up a deportation task force.
Calls for giving green cards to foreign students who earn advanced STEM degrees in the U.S. Also supports visas to foreign entrepreneurs who come to the U.S. to establish tech companies and have financial support from U.S. investors. Minimum job creation and performance requirements would be needed for a green card.
VISAS & GREEN CARDS
Calls for prosecuting foreign nationals who overstay their visas and creating a visa tracking system. Also calls for temporarily halting the issuance of green cards, during which employers must hire unemployed U.S. workers.
Calls for a startup visa for foreign entrepreneurs who want to move to the U.S. to start a business and can get support from U.S. investors. Entrepreneurs would have to create a certain number of jobs and reach performance benchmarks for a green card.
STARTUP VISAS
Has not specifically addressed the issue of startup visas for foreign entrepreneurs.
Opposes increasing the quota for H-1B visas until what to do about the 11 million undocumented immigrants is resolved.
H-1B
Has said he will “end forever the use of the H-1B as a cheap labor program, and institute an absolute requirement to hire American workers first for every visa and immigration program.”
Calls for ending deportation raids of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally after fleeing violence in Central America. And calls for increased funding for immigration attorneys to handle these asylum cases.
REFUGEES & ASYLUM
Calls for increasing standards for the admission of refugees and asylum seekers to “crack down on abusers.”
Has pledged to repeal the law that bans undocumented immigrants or those who overstayed their visas from returning to the U.S. legally for either three or 10 years, depending on how long they had been living unlawfully in the U.S.
THREE- & 10-YEAR BANS
Has not specifically addressed this issue.
Supports birthright citizenship.
BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP
Calls for ending birthright citizenship.
Calls for deporting undocumented immigrants who are violent criminals or terrorists. And calls for allowing undocumented aliens who are either children or the parents of children born in the U.S. to remain and seek permission to live and work in the U.S.
11 MILLION UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS
Calls for deporting the 11 million undocumented immigrants. Some will be allowed to return to the U.S. under a more stringent legal process.
Supports allowing undocumented immigrants to buy into the Affordable Care Act exchanges.
EXPANDING HEALTHCARE ACCESS
Opposes expanding healthcare access to undocumented immigrants.
Has not specifically stated whether she supports giving individuals facing deportation access to lawyers.
ACCESS TO LAWYERS
(PUBLIC DEFENDERS DO NOT EXIST IN IMMIGRATION COURT)
Has not specifically stated whether he supports giving individuals facing deportation access to lawyers.
Calls for a secure borders, but opposes a wall running the length of the border between the U.S. and Mexico.
BORDER SECURITY
Says he will “greatly strengthen our border, making it impenetrable” by increasing border fees and building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico that Mexico will pay for.
