Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said Wednesday the party never wanted a "pathway to citizenship" for illegal immigrants in the autopsy it gave itself after Mitt Romney lost the presidential election in 2012.
"We never said a pathway to citizenship, and I tend to believe that legalization or some kind of legalization is the proper route, not necessarily citizenship," Priebus told Fox Radio host Brian Kilmeade on his show "Kilmeade and Friends."
"That's not what the autopsy said," Priebus said. "The autopsy said that we needed comprehensive immigration reform. Well, you and I and everyone listening know that your version of comprehensive immigration reform, my version, Rand Paul's version, Ted Cruz's version, you know, and someone else's version, is a different version."
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has this week said he is open to "softening" his message on illegal immigration after vowing to build a border wall and deporting 11 million illegal immigrants upon assuming office.
Priebus said the party should go with whatever Trump as nominee is comfortable with as far as language, but said the "bad elements" among illegal immigrants need to be weeded out, while those who are otherwise law abiding should be worked with.
"Somehow or another that's got to get resolved, and I think that's what all these folks are trying to work through," Priebus said.
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