Trump outlines immigration specifics

Jeremy Diamond
By Jeremy Diamond and Sara Murray, CNN
Updated 1:21 PM EDT, Mon August 17, 2015
DES MOINES, IA - AUGUST 15: Republican presidential candidate businessman Donald Trump speaks with reporters after arriving at the Iowa State Fair on August 15, 2015 in Des Moines, Iowa. The Iowa State Fair is one of the oldest and largest agricultural and industrial expositions in the United States. The fair runs through August 23. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)
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Story highlights

Donald Trump outlines his immigration plans

His policy paper also explains how he would get Mexico to pay for a border wall

(CNN) —  

Republican frontrunner Donald Trump said Sunday he would overturn a law that grants citizenship to people born in the U.S. and put stricter limits on legal immigration, offering his most detailed account yet of how he would handle a policy issue that has become a cornerstone of his campaign.

Trump, who has repeatedly been pressed for specifics on his immigration plan since the issue rocketed him to the top of the polls, also explained for the first time how he will force Mexico to pay for a wall on its border with the U.S. in his nearly 1,900-word policy paper.

The proposal could help Trump swat away naysayers who charge that he is not a serious candidate. It also gives Trump an opportunity to burnish his conservative credentials, particularly as he is coming under more heavy fire from conservative influencers.

Trump took a shot at his Republican opponent Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, slamming what he calls the “Schumer-Rubio” comprehensive immigration bill, which passed the Senate in 2013 and later died in the House, as “nothing more than a giveaway to the corporate patrons who run both parties.”

RELATED: Trump on Immigration: ‘They have to go’

Trump’s immigration plan is based on three core principles: that the U.S. must build a wall across the U.S.-Mexico border, that immigration laws must be fully enforced and that “any immigration plan must improve jobs, wages and security for all Americans.”

His policy mixes some long-held Republican proposals on immigration with ideas that are more likely to appeal to the far right.

Trump calls for requiring a nationwide system to verify workers’ legal status, tripling the number of immigrations and customs enforcement agents and implementing a tracking system to identify people who overstay their visas.

But Trump’s plans take a hardline approach in his vow to reverse a U.S. law that grants American citizenship to any child born in the United States, regardless of whether the child’s parents are undocumented immigrants.

He also calls for suspending the issuance of any new green cards, writing, “there will be a pause where employers will have to hire from the domestic pool of unemployed immigrant and native workers.”

Trump’s policy proposal does not explain how long the pause will last.

Even Trump’s approach to the Dreamers – those who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children – goes a step further than others in the GOP field who believe children of undocumented immigrants should be allowed to stay in the U.S.

“The executive order gets rescinded,” Trump said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” of President Barack Obama’s executive order allowing dreamers to remain in the U.S.

“We have to keep the families together, but they have to go,” he told NBC.

President-elect Donald Trump has been in the spotlight for years. From developing real estate and producing and starring in TV shows, he became a celebrity long before winning the White House.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: exclusive photo by nigel parry for CNN
President-elect Donald Trump has been in the spotlight for years. From developing real estate and producing and starring in TV shows, he became a celebrity long before winning the White House.
Trump at age 4. He was born in 1946 to Fred and Mary Trump in New York City. His father was a real estate developer.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.
Trump at age 4. He was born in 1946 to Fred and Mary Trump in New York City. His father was a real estate developer.
Trump, left, in a family photo. He was the second-youngest of five children.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.
Trump, left, in a family photo. He was the second-youngest of five children.
Trump, center, stands at attention during his senior year at the New York Military Academy in 1964.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library
Trump, center, stands at attention during his senior year at the New York Military Academy in 1964.
Trump, center, wears a baseball uniform at the New York Military Academy in 1964. After he graduated from the boarding school, he went to college. He started at Fordham University before transferring and later graduating from the Wharton School, the University of Pennsylvania
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library
Trump, center, wears a baseball uniform at the New York Military Academy in 1964. After he graduated from the boarding school, he went to college. He started at Fordham University before transferring and later graduating from the Wharton School, the University of Pennsylvania's business school.
Trump stands with Alfred Eisenpreis, New York
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images
Trump stands with Alfred Eisenpreis, New York's economic development administrator, in 1976 while they look at a sketch of a new 1,400-room renovation project of the Commodore Hotel. After graduating college in 1968, Trump worked with his father on developments in Queens and Brooklyn before purchasing or building multiple properties in New York and Atlantic City, New Jersey. Those properties included Trump Tower in New York and Trump Plaza and multiple casinos in Atlantic City.
Trump attends an event to mark the start of construction of the New York Convention Center in 1979.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
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Trump attends an event to mark the start of construction of the New York Convention Center in 1979.
Trump wears a hard hat at the Trump Tower construction site in New York in 1980.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: Ted Horowitz/Getty Images
Trump wears a hard hat at the Trump Tower construction site in New York in 1980.
Trump was married to Ivana Zelnicek Trump from 1977 to 1990, when they divorced. They had three children together: Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
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Trump was married to Ivana Zelnicek Trump from 1977 to 1990, when they divorced. They had three children together: Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric.
The Trump family, circa 1986.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
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The Trump family, circa 1986.
Trump uses his personal helicopter to get around New York in 1987.
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Trump uses his personal helicopter to get around New York in 1987.
Trump stands in the atrium of the Trump Tower.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
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Trump stands in the atrium of the Trump Tower.
Trump attends the opening of his new Atlantic City casino, the Taj Mahal, in 1989.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
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Trump attends the opening of his new Atlantic City casino, the Taj Mahal, in 1989.
Trump signs his second book, "Trump: Surviving at the Top," in 1990. Trump has published at least 16 other books, including "The Art of the Deal" and "The America We Deserve."
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Trump signs his second book, "Trump: Surviving at the Top," in 1990. Trump has published at least 16 other books, including "The Art of the Deal" and "The America We Deserve."
Trump and singer Michael Jackson pose for a photo before traveling to visit Ryan White, a young child with AIDS, in 1990.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
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Trump and singer Michael Jackson pose for a photo before traveling to visit Ryan White, a young child with AIDS, in 1990.
Trump dips his second wife, Marla Maples, after the couple married in a private ceremony in New York in December 1993. The couple divorced in 1999 and had one daughter together, Tiffany.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
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Trump dips his second wife, Marla Maples, after the couple married in a private ceremony in New York in December 1993. The couple divorced in 1999 and had one daughter together, Tiffany.
Trump putts a golf ball in his New York office in 1998.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
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Trump putts a golf ball in his New York office in 1998.
An advertisement for the television show "The Apprentice" hangs at Trump Tower in 2004. The show launched in January of that year. In January 2008, the show returned as "Celebrity Apprentice."
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: Getty Images
An advertisement for the television show "The Apprentice" hangs at Trump Tower in 2004. The show launched in January of that year. In January 2008, the show returned as "Celebrity Apprentice."
A 12-inch talking Trump doll is on display at a toy store in New York in September 2004.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
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A 12-inch talking Trump doll is on display at a toy store in New York in September 2004.
Trump attends a news conference in 2005 that announced the establishment of Trump University. From 2005 until it closed in 2010, Trump University had about 10,000 people sign up for a program that promised success in real estate. Three separate lawsuits -- two class-action suits filed in California and one filed by New York
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: Bebeto Matthews/AP
Trump attends a news conference in 2005 that announced the establishment of Trump University. From 2005 until it closed in 2010, Trump University had about 10,000 people sign up for a program that promised success in real estate. Three separate lawsuits -- two class-action suits filed in California and one filed by New York's attorney general -- argued that the program was mired in fraud and deception. Trump's camp rejected the suits' claims as "baseless." And Trump has charged that the New York case against him is politically motivated.
Trump attends the U.S. Open tennis tournament with his third wife, Melania Knauss-Trump, and their son, Barron, in 2006. Trump and Knauss married in 2005.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
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Trump attends the U.S. Open tennis tournament with his third wife, Melania Knauss-Trump, and their son, Barron, in 2006. Trump and Knauss married in 2005.
Trump wrestles with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at WrestleMania in 2007. Trump has close ties with the WWE and its CEO, Vince McMahon.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: Getty Images
Trump wrestles with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at WrestleMania in 2007. Trump has close ties with the WWE and its CEO, Vince McMahon.
For "The Apprentice," Trump was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2007.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
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For "The Apprentice," Trump was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2007.
Trump appears on the set of "The Celebrity Apprentice" with two of his children -- Donald Jr. and Ivanka -- in 2009.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: NBCUniversal/NBC/Getty Images
Trump appears on the set of "The Celebrity Apprentice" with two of his children -- Donald Jr. and Ivanka -- in 2009.
Trump poses with Miss Universe contestants in 2011. Trump had been executive producer of the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants since 1996.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: D Dipasupil/WireImage/Getty Images
Trump poses with Miss Universe contestants in 2011. Trump had been executive producer of the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants since 1996.
In 2012, Trump announces his endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: AFP/Getty Images
In 2012, Trump announces his endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Trump speaks in Sarasota, Florida, after accepting the Statesman of the Year Award at the Sarasota GOP dinner in August 2012. It was shortly before the Republican National Convention in nearby Tampa.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: Getty Images
Trump speaks in Sarasota, Florida, after accepting the Statesman of the Year Award at the Sarasota GOP dinner in August 2012. It was shortly before the Republican National Convention in nearby Tampa.
Trump appears on stage with singer Nick Jonas and television personality Giuliana Rancic during the 2013 Miss USA pageant.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Trump appears on stage with singer Nick Jonas and television personality Giuliana Rancic during the 2013 Miss USA pageant.
In June 2015, during a speech from Trump Tower, Trump announced that he was running for President. He said he would give up "The Apprentice" to run.
Photos: Donald Trump's rise
PHOTO: Christopher Gregory/Getty Images
In June 2015, during a speech from Trump Tower, Trump announced that he was running for President. He said he would give up "The Apprentice" to run.