(WSVN) - Immigration has been a hot topic in the 2016 election. Now, America is left with a hefty decision between Donald Trump’s great border wall and Hillary Clinton’s reform including a pathway to full citizenship.
Trump says America will be great again with the help of a border wall with Mexico, promising to give the order to begin construction as the first project he adheres to on his first day in office.
“We are going to build a great border wall to stop illegal immigration! To stop the gangs! And the violence! To stop the drugs from pouring into our communities!” Trump said at campaign rally.
But questions arise about who will pay for the wall.
“And Mexico will pay for the wall. They don’t know it yet,” said Trump. “But they’re going to pay for it.”
However, Mexico’s President assured Trump that’s not happening.
Trump’s immigration policies also include:
- Tripling the number of immigration and customs enforcement, or ICE officers
- Implementing nationwide “e-verify,” an online database that confirms a person is authorized to work in the United States
- Ending “birthright citizenship,” which gives automatic citizenship to children born in the United States to illegal immigrants
- Returning all criminal aliens to their home countries
- Making it a separate and additional crime to break the law while in the U.S. illegally
- Anyone caught crossing the border should be detained until they are deported
Trump also says he will cut off so-called “sanctuary cities” from any federal grants. Seven Florida counties are on that list, including both Miami-Dade and Broward.
Clinton has presented much different policies, proposing reform including a pathway to citizenship within her first 100 days in office.
“I believe that when we have millions of hardworking immigrants contributing to our economy,” says Cilton. “It would be self-defeating and inhumane to try to kick them out.”
“Comprehensive immigration reform will grow our economy and keep families together, and it’s the right thing to do.”
Clinton plans to end the Three- and Ten-year Bars, a law that prevents anyone who stays in the country illegally for more than 180 days from returning for three years, and anyone who is in the country illegally for more than a year, then leaves cannot return for 10 years.
Her policy includes:
- Plans for families of all immigration status to have the ability to buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act
- Ending family detention for parents and children who cross the border
- Closing private detention centers
- Detaining and deporting any individuals who pose a violent threat to the public
Clinton says, if Congress fails to act on comprehensive reform, she will enact a system for families with “sympathetic” cases.
Ultimately, America has a big choice to make on two completely opposing immigration policies.
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