Hillary Clinton is finally toeing the Democratic Party line with respect to the immigration crisis on the southern border. In an interview with Fusion’s Jorge Ramos on Thursday, Clinton sided with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.), who opposes any changes to a 2008 anti-trafficking law that would make it easier to process—and, if necessary, deport—the tens of thousands of unaccompanied migrant children who have crossed the border in recent months.
"No, I don’t agree that we should change the law," Clinton said. "That’s why I’m advocating an appropriate procedure, well-funded by the Congress, which they are resisting doing, so that we can make individual decisions."
In fact, Congress has tried to take action. One proposal from Senator John Cornyn (R., Texas) and Representative Henry Cuellar (D., Texas) has attracted bipartisan support, but Reid and other Democrats oppose it because it would make changes to the 2008 law. And apparently, Clinton shares this position. The American people, on the other hand, overwhelmingly favor reforms to the 2008 law in order to address the border crisis and facilitate the deportation process.
From a recent CNN poll:
Clinton must not have received the party talking points in time. In an interview with NRP last Wednesday, just one day before Fusion appearance, Clinton said that changes to the 2008 anti-trafficking law "should be looked at as part of an overall package." She also sought to water down her previous remarks about what she thinks should be done with the immigrant children crossing the border ("They should be sent back").
In response to Clinton’s immigration flip flop, Republicans have accused her of "Hispandering."