Apart from supporting increased U.S. aid to Central America — which is a good idea — the 2020 Democratic presidential aspirants on Wednesday ran off a left-wing cliff on immigration policy.
On the first night of two Democratic Party 2020 debates, the policy proposals on display made President Trump’s immigration policy look sane and moderate.
Democrats on stage openly called for open borders and an end to immigration law enforcement. That’s not a very good recipe for winning back 2016 Democrats who voted for Trump, but then maybe that’s not the goal.
Julián Castro said he wanted to “honor asylum claims” and get rid of the president’s policy of pushing Mexico to take more responsibility for preventing border incursions into America. He also called for the end of criminal charges against those who cross U.S. borders illegally. Amy Klobuchar was reluctant to agree to these ideas, but Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio was immediately sympathetic.
Cory Booker described ICE agents “ripping away” children from families. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee spoke of keeping families together but then resorted to the familiar attack on ICE agents (who are patriots). New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio changed the debate from immigration identity politics to near-Marxist class warfare rhetoric. But that’s just de Blasio.
Trump’s campaign has to be loving this.
