Pence: ‘Nothing has changed’ about Trump’s immigration plans

by Rebecca Savransky - 08/28/16 9:27 AM ET

Gov. Mike Pence: "Nothing has changed about Donald Trump's position" on immigration https://t.co/6OZtrg079U #CNNSOTU https://t.co/ziNsE3pWFH

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 28, 2016

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence on Sunday said Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s position on the issue of immigration has remained the same throughout his campaign.

{mosads}”Nothing has changed about Donald Trump’s position on dealing with illegal immigration,” Pence said of his presidential running mate on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“He put this issue at the center of his presidential campaign in the Republican primary. His position and his principles have been absolutely consistent.”

Pence said Trump’s immigration plans include securing the border, building a wall, enforcing existing laws and ending sanctuary cities. He also said the ticket will have a “mechanism for dealing with people in this country.”

“It’s going to be fair. It’s going to be tough,” he said. “But there will be no path to legalization, no path to citizenship unless people leave the country.”

Pence’s comments come amid recent questions regarding the GOP nominee’s position on immigration. Trump last week indicated that he would be open to a “softening” in the immigration laws.

Pence on Sunday dodged a question about whether Trump’s immigration plans would include a “deportation force” to remove the 11 million undocumented immigrations in the U.S.

“What you hear him describe there in his usual plain-spoken, American way, was a mechanism, not a policy,” Pence said.

Trump will provide more details about his immigration policies in the coming weeks, Pence said.

“But there will be no change in the principle here,” he said.

The Indiana governor also attempted to draw a clear distinction between the positions of Trump and those of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Clinton supports open borders and wants to increase the number of refugees the country takes in from Syria, Pence said.

“The choice could not be more clear for the American people,” he said.

“Donald Trump has been completely consistent in his positions.”

Tags Donald Trump Hillary Clinton Mike Pence Sunday shows