By

Lucy Madison /

CBS News/ March 15, 2013, 9:29 AM

Trump: Immigration reform a "suicide mission" for GOP

As Republican lawmakers attempt to determine a plan for immigration reform that jibes with both conservatives and members of the Latino community, Donald Trump, the real estate magnate and reality television host, has another message for the GOP: Immigration reform, he argues, basically amounts to a "suicide mission" for the party.

Trump, speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Oxon Hill, Md., argued this morning that the "11 million illegals, even if given the right to vote - you know you're going to have to do what's right - but the fact is 11 million people will be voting Democrat."

The Republican, who during the early days of the 2012 presidential campaign flirted with a bid for the nomination and spent weeks propagating the thoroughly debunked rumor that President Obama was not born in America, said Republicans "have to be very, very careful" on the issue of immigration.

"Because you could say that to a certain extent, the odds aren't looking so great right now for Republicans. That you're on a suicide mission. You're just not going to get those votes," he said.

He seemed to suggest the U.S. should allow more Europeans into the country to counterbalance the influence of Latino voters.

"Now I say to myself, 'Why aren't we letting people in from Europe?' I have many friends, many, many friends -- and nobody wants to talk this, nobody wants to say it -- many friends form Europe," he said.

Trump expressed particular concern that his European friends, whom he described as "tremendous" and "hard-working people," "people whose sons went to Harvard," were not gaining easy citizenship to the U.S.

"Top in their class, went to the Wharton School of Finance, great, great students, they happen to be a citizen of a foreign country, they learn they take all of our knowledge and they can't work in this country," he said. "We throw them out."

A fierce critic of the media, Trump also argued that while Mr. Obama is granted "unprecedented media protection," entitlement reform is going to be a non-starter.

"As Republicans, if you think you're going to change very substantially for the worse Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security in any substantial way, and at the same time you think you're going to win elections, it just really is not going to happen," he said.

The Republican budget proposal currently under negotiation would overhaul the nation's Medicare system to a voucher-like program, a decision that is rebuked by Democrats and controversial on both sides of the aisle. The author of the GOP budget, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., however, would probably not say the plan would change Medicare "very substantially for the worse," as Trump seemed to suggest.

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    Lucy Madison is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.

41 Comments Add a Comment
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u_go_guys says:
"Europeans have had a four-year love affair with Barack Obama: 87 percent of Germans, 86 percent of French and 80 percent of the British have confidence in Obama, according to a 2012 poll by the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes project."
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presan97 says:
If I were to him direct to the point of what he really wanted to deliver in front of the GOP, he doesn't like to legalize the 11 million illegal immigrants.....I'm Pro Republicans but good luck to all GOP candidates aiming for reelections by 2013 if you want to listen to him, why don't you suggest positively on the other way around instead.
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GOP-R--Con-Men says:
"Life isn't fair but government should be"

Ann Richards Former Texas Governor and Democrat
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iAceMadman says:
"He seemed to suggest the U.S. should allow more Europeans into the country to counterbalance the influence of Latino voters."

I usually agree with The Donald, but we can't have Europeans working in the fields. That's not dignified for our people. So a work program for non-citizens is better than no one available to pick our farm products.
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dolmance-2009 says:
I can read this article without bringing this pig into my life. If I want to see video of Donald Trump, I'll watch him on TV. So please, stop automatically turning on video when there's perfectly good text to read.
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Hehiker says:
yea,, but what happins if that thing on trumps head jumps off and bites someone ??,, maybe even a child !!,, I think animal control should be called on this reckless individule !!.
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dolmance-2009 replies:
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Rand Paul's head is worse. I heard it's made out of Ayn Rand's pubic hair and hasn't been washed since she passed away in '82.
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sglstpaul says:
I think, the "Orange Comb-Over," should fire himself.
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oldoc44 says:
It's guys like this that are giving the GOP moderates a bad name and driving them over to the Dem's. Extreme, outlandish ideas and obstructionist politics don't make for a functioning government and that's their image nowadays. The best guy to present a way on immigration is probably Rubio in conjunction with Jeb. There are a lot of disenfranchised frustrated Americans but the GOP platform too far out there even for them!
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iAceMadman replies:
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We have all the ideas we need. What we need is power. That's the ticket.
Clear-Skyguy replies:
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"GOP moderates"? That species is on the brink of extinction.
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iam4honesty says:
So, a reality show host with insane ideas and some really strange animal living on his head is invited to speak at the CPAC convention, but republican senior senators are not.

This is very telling.
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Clear-Skyguy says:
Why would he want white immigrants from those Marxist-Commie countries - a.k.a. The European Union?

They would bring in their sick, twisted philosophies about healthcare and less violence.
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