Republican Platform Committee members have voted to craft the party's official policy in language that is in line with presumptive nominee Donald Trump's positions on immigration and trade, which have been the cornerstones of his campaign,
The Hill reports.
The platform calls for the building of a wall on the border with Mexico and, in recognition of Trump's controversial proposal to temporarily ban Muslim immigration, would impose "special scrutiny" of foreigners wanting to move to the U.S. from "regions associated with Islamic terrorism."
Both these clauses were not in the previous Republican platform in 2012.
Committee members said a platform that endorses Trump's main policies will help energize his supporters for the general election.
It is also an important step for the Trump camp as a way to help normalize within the party these proposals, which have also been controversial among Republicans.
In addition, the committee changed previous platforms which embraced a robust free trade policy, calling for "better negotiated trade agreements that put America first," a point that Trump has focused on throughout his campaign
Social conservatives also came away satisfied by the platform after they protected language to their liking on religious liberty and gay rights,
The Washington Times reported.
They declared victory after stopping attempts to soften GOP opposition to same-sex marriages and also thwarted efforts to include references to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.
Tony Perkins, a Louisiana delegate and head of the evangelical group Family Research Council, told the Times he was pleased that the Trump camp did not pressure delegates, which is usually done by a presumptive nominee, and allowed the committee to freely go about its work.
Delegates at the Republican National Convention next week will consider the entire platform.
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