Donald Trump said in 2012 that he was not in favor of deporting illegal immigrants, a sharp contrast to his current immigration stance that has become a hallmark of his presidential bid.
In an interview with CNBC's Squawk Box in June 2012, Trump said that he believed he was politically somewhere in the middle on the immigration issue, CNN reported.
"You know my views on it and I'm not necessarily, I think I'm probably down the middle on that also," Trump said. "Because I also understand how, as an example, you have people in this country for 20 years, they've done a great job, they've done wonderfully, they've gone to school, they've gotten good marks, they're productive–now we're supposed to send them out of the country. I don't believe in that, Michelle, and you understand that. I don't believe in a lot things that are being said."
During Trump's current 2016 presidential run, he has made illegal immigration and border security key issues of his campaign. In addition to wanting to build a wall on the Southern border that Mexico funds, Trump has said he supports deporting illegal immigrants and self-deportation.