Sarah Palin predicts 'a huge erosion of support' if Trump backs down from 1 key part of his immigration pitch
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin discussed Donald Trump's apparent reversal on his staunch immigration policies on "The O'Reilly Factor" Thursday night.
Earlier in the week, Trump said his previous plans to deport millions of immigrants who are in the country illegally could be 'softened.'
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"Trump didn't garner a lot of enthusiastic support by being soft on anything," Palin said, "but by having a still spine and doing what he knows a majority of Americans want. And that is to put a stop to illegal immigration," Palin said on Fox News.
"Donald Trump understands that enforcing the laws and building that wall are paramount to what the will of the people is – and thank God he's still preaching that because if he were not, then there would be a huge erosion of support."
FLASHBACK: See Trump and Palin during their NYC tour in 2011
Though his immigration views have appeared to become nebulous in the last few days, Trump hasn't rescinded his calls to build a wall along the US-Mexico border.
Palin said she hopes Trump sticks to his convictions.
"I would prefer politicians to not campaign one way and then govern another way," she said. "We want to know that they are candid and sincere in the policies that they are proposing as candidates, and then once they are in that administration, that they would stick to it."
Palin went on to say that she hopes Trump focuses on policies that make non-US citizens think twice about entering the country illegally, or influence them to consider taking the legal route. The former governor said Trump likely wouldn't win over undecided Democrats or independents who don't agree with him on immigration anyway, so there's no reason to "soften" his policies.
"Softening on the position of illegal immigration isn't going to win over any supporters," Palin said. "More importantly though, it's not going to help our nation."
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"What I wish that he would focus on are those legal immigrants who agree with his sound policy — his proposed policy that would create disincentives for illegals to trespass."
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NEXT: Trump says immigration laws can be 'softened' in town-hall meeting with Hannity
