As we come down to the final strecth of the 2016 US Presidential Election, there is no doubt that the two major party presidential candidates have completely different plans for immigration. So we at Shan Potts Law Offices decided to make it easy for you to understand the candidates’ postitions on Immigration.

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Anyone who has followed the 2016 US Elections would know that the Republican candidate Donald Trump has often mentioned violent crimes are perpetrated by the immigrants who are in the US illegally, with a very aggressive rhetoric that emphasizes nationalism. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has opted for a softer approach that embraces diversity and the need to keep immigrant families together, although her critics accuse her of promoting “open borders”.

Immigration is not just talk, the next president’s policies would set the tone for the country – and the lives of over 11 million people currently staying in the United States of America.

Donald Trump says he wants to build a massive wall across the border, appoint a deportation task force to deport millions of people and deny legal status to anyone currently in the country illegally. Hillary Clinton would provide a path to citizenship for immigrants irrespective of their legal status or entry, continue to defer enforcement action against immigrant families and offer health insurance to immigrants already in the US.

Now let us look at what they are proposing:

PATH TO CITIZENSHIP

Hillary Clinton: She promises to propose immigration legislation in her first 100 days that would include a path to citizenship. This is largely in line with the same proposal approved by both democrats and republicans in the 2013 Senate but turned down by Congress.

Donald Trump: He is strongly against any pathway to legal status for immigrants in the U.S illegally. They will have to leave and come back legally. Trump also wants to end “Birthright Citizenship”, currently granted to anyone born in the United States.

BORDER

Donald Trump: The main talking point of Trump’s presidential election is a wall along the US – Mexico border. There is already 650 miles of fencing along the border, including roughly 15-foot-tall steel fencing in many urban areas. Trump wants to extend a huge wall across the whole 2100 miles of the US – Mexico border. He initially stated Mexico would pay for it but later backtracked and said we will pay for it and Mexico will “reimburse us”. He also wants to add 5,000 border patrol agents and increase the number of border patrol stations.

Hillary Clinton: Clinton says there are a few places where a physical barrier is required but is against the idea of expanding the border wall. She wants to rely on technology and more border patrol agents to make sure the border is secure.

DAPA & DACA

Hillary Clinton: Clinton supports President Obama’s executive actions that deferred immigration enforcement against millions of children and parents in the country illegally. After the Supreme Court decision in June blocked his order, Clinton remains confident that these actions are well within the president’s authority.

Donald Trump: Trump wants to “immediately terminate” the executive order, which he says would provide amnesty to 5 million immigrants. This would mean no more DACA, DREAM ACT and DAPA. President Obama’s program would have protected as many as 4 million immigrant parents of U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.

DEPORTATION

Donald Trump: Trump has gone back on his earlier approach to dealing with everyone inside the country illegally by beginning deportations on his first day in office. Although recently he said, only those who have criminal records will be deported and those who do not pose a threat to law and order would have to go home and apply for legal status.

Hillary Clinton: Clinton wants to continue Obama’s program of deporting violent criminal and other who pose a threat to national safety after they enter the US. But she wants to scale back on the immigration raids, as she believes it produces “unnecessary fear and disruption in communities”.

GOVERNMENT AID

Donald Trump: Trump would deny illegal immigrants in the country to access any and government and federal health care benefits. He doesn’t want immigrants to get food stamps, welfare payments or government housing. Those who do, he said, would be deported.

Hillary Clinton: She wants to allow immigrants to buy in the federal health care exchanges, although illegal immigrants will not qualify for subsidies. Her plans would also allow some immigrants to collect Social Security, if they have been in the system for at least 10 years.

SYRIAN REFUGEES

Donald Trump: Trump wants to place a ban on people from countries where violent crimes happen from entering the US. He doesn’t want to accept anymore of the syrian refugees. He has often called for a “complete and total shutdown on muslims entering the United States”.

Hillary Clinton: Clinton wants to accept more refugees who are fleeing violence in their own countries. She wants to accept 65,000 new refugees into the US, which is 10,000 more than what the US currently accepts.

So when it comes to immigration or refugees, Hillary Clinton wants to add to the diversity in the USA, while Donald Trump wants to stop and reduce the diversity. Nov 08, 2016 is election day, make sure you go out vote.

Also Read: Immigration related quotes from Trump and Clinton