The Immigration Rhetoric of Donald Trump

Abstract

Donald Trump's rise to the presidency included frequent and divisive public remarks on immigration. He not only promised to secure the border by building a wall, but he also assured his supporters that Mexico would pay for it! Nevertheless, we know little about how frequently and in what ways President Trump spoke about immigration. Moreover, was Donald Trump's rhetoric mere bluster, or did it affect Congress and the public in measurable ways? To answer these questions, we collected all public comments by President Trump related to immigration. We describe both Trump's level of attention to immigration policy and its tone, and compare this with legislative activity and public opinion on immigration. We find that although Trump devoted considerable public attention to immigration through a slightly positive lens, he was more bluster than substance in leading Congress and public opinion on immigration.