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September 19, 2017 12:02 PM UTC

Only Trump Can Fix Immigration, Says Mike Coffman (Yes, Really)

  • 26 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols
Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and Rep. Mike Coffman (left).

As the debate over immigration policy in the United States endures the hard shake of President Donald Trump and the hard-line slate of policies he promised on the campaign trail, fellow Republicans hoping to chart a politically survivable path through the chaos on this explosive issue are having a very difficult time. Nationally one of the most frequently-cited examples of this is Rep. Mike Coffman of Colorado, whose “evolution” on immigration since redistricting forced him out of Tom Tancredo’s old constituency and now placing Coffman necessarily at odds with Trump’s plans for a sweeping crackdown on undocumented immigrants.

Except, as Real Clear Politics reported over the weekend, maybe that’s not true? Does Coffman actually see Trump as a savior on immigration?

Rep. Mike Coffman, who represents a swing district in Colorado and has been a strong supporter of protecting Dreamers, said Trump might be able to convince even his most conservative supporters to back such a deal.

“He’s got the credibility in terms of being tough on immigration and I think he’s the only one, probably, within the Republican Party that can solve this issue,” Coffman said. [Pols emphasis]

Subsequent to the announced deal with congressional Democratic leadership and the Trump administration on protecting Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program beneficiaries, there’s been an uptick in speculation about the possibility that a President elected on what can be accurately described as the most anti-immigrant platform in modern history might be able to broker a grand bargain on the issue–to include resolution of status for all undocumented immigrants in the United States and “border security” consistent with keep Trump’s promises to build a wall on the southern border. Since that time, as Trump sought to reassure his base that he wasn’t “caving” on the campaign’s hard line, much of that confidence has dissipated. Negotiations are nonetheless reportedly ongoing this week, and we’re all obliged to wait for news there.

In the meantime, this is another chance to remind readers that Coffman’s fate is linked to that of the Trump administration–on immigration as just one of a range of issues, and Coffman has done it to himself. This is a man who dramatically outperformed in a district that Trump lost handily by brazenly triangulating off Trump’s various offenses. And now he says it’s Trump who has credibility on immigration? In fact, Coffman says, Trump is the only Republican who can get immigration reform done? Is that what the ticket-splitters in CD-6 expected?

All we can say is, remember this moment.

Comments

26 thoughts on “Only Trump Can Fix Immigration, Says Mike Coffman (Yes, Really)

  1. Only Hitler can stop fascism.  He's the only one with credibility on the issue.

    If Republicans like Mike Coffman weren't so busy cravenly seeking to retain their small serving of power, people like Mike Coffman could fix immigration.  But, hey, why bother?  We can always wait for a well-intentioned xenophobe to come along.

    1. Poor Mikey must be sweating at the prospect of the Graham-Cassidy bill making it out of the Senate and into the House.

      I suspect that special dispensation which Paul Ryan gave him last spring to vote "No" on the AHCA bill was a ticket good for one ride only. He's going to need to follow Cory Gardner into that legislator/witness protection program where they avoid town hall meetings by hunkering down in Moldy's basement.  

  2. It just burns you up that Republicans might solve some of the nation's big problems? That EVIL TRUMP might do some good as President? You can't have that can you? You disgusting partisan slime. You're the ones hurting America.

        1. Fluffy is a little tense these days now that Grandma is patrolling the sock drawer and took away his Kleenex allowance – all while he’s carrying the full load for the now-absent Frick and Frack

    1. Moldy, it never occurred to me that Republicans could solve some of the nation's big problems.  To do so would require something of them that they're incapable of doing:  Governing.

      Btw: project much you pathetic goose stepper?

    2. Moddy, What are you talking about? The guy's been there 9 months and hasn't done spit. His party has all the marbles and they haven't accomplished a damned thing. He can't or won't work with them and is so desperate he's doing lunch with Chuck and Nancy to try to get his ass out of the crack he wedged it in by shooting his mouth off about the Dreamers. So what has he accomplished? And his czarist edicts do not count. I'm talking about actual legislation; governing. You know, like the grown-up presidents do?

      1. Sorry, Skinny. Or rather sorry America,

        Trump has done a shit-load of evil. Specific to Immigration, he has unleashed ICE to start rounding up undocumented immigrants and split up families. And he border patrol is harassing travelers coming to visit.

        1. he has unleashed ICE to start rounding up undocumented immigrants and split up families

          Ah, that much talked-about Republican commitment to family values.

        2. As I said, PH, I wasn't counting his myriad EOs. They have, indeed, been pure evil. But, much to his disappointment, this is not a military dictatorship, no matter how many edicts he issues or how many guys with ribbons and shiny things on their jackets he surrounds himself with. We have a Congress, spineless as they are. They make the laws, not fake-POTUS. Most of what he's done is being challenged in his least favorite branch of government; the judicial. I expect many of his EOs will be stopped in their tracks. The next Democratic president is going to have a huge mess to clean up starting 20 January 2021.

  3. Trump can't "fix" immigration. That would take comprehensive immigration reform, a path to citizenship, meaningful penalties for those who employ and exploit non-citizens. Border security we've already got. How many more thugs do you want patrolling our borders?

    What Trump could do is the same bandaid fix Obama made – give Dreamers – youth who were brought here as undocumented children – a path to citizenship and a reprieve from deportation.

    But I'm not holding my breath, unfortunately. Because our President, sorry to say, is nucking futs. He's completely unpredictable and pretty irrational.

    As for Coffman, that's the weakest passing of the buck I've seen in a while. Stand for something, you sorry-ass wannabe soldier. Nobody's buying your BS.

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