PHILADELPHIA — A new Clinton administration would pursue a bill to legalize illegal immigrants in “the first 100 days” of her tenure, vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine told Spanish-language network Telemundo in an interview Monday, presenting a deep contrast with Republicans.
Mr. Kaine also predicted that House Republicans, who stopped President Obama’s last bid for legalization in 2013, will reverse themselves next year and said House Speaker Paul D. Ryan will lead the GOP to embrace legalization.
“Paul Ryan and the other leaders of his party are going to understand that if they want a future for their party they are going to have to work together to find a solution to this,” Mr. Kaine told “Noticias Telemundo,” according to a transcript provided by the network.
As Democrats kicked off their convention Monday, they repeatedly attacked GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump for being a “bully,” particularly toward illegal immigrants, and said he would ruin the American experience for immigrants if he gets into the White House.
Latino voters are considered an important swing vote in this year’s election, but polls have been wildly divergent in predicting how they’ll break in November. Part of that could be lingering anger at President Obama, who set deportation records — even as he carved most illegal immigrants out of any danger of being kicked out.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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