Clinton’s Remarks at the Munich Security Conference

At the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Hillary Clinton participated in a panel discussion titled “The Divided West: What Remains of Common Values?” This discussion seemed to provide her a platform to reaffirm her views on border security.

Clinton stated, “There are legitimate reasons to discuss things like immigration.” She emphasized the need for a more humane approach to immigration policies, asserting, “It’s gone too far and it’s destructive and destabilizing. We need to fix it in a humane way, with secure borders that don’t torture or kill people,” while highlighting the importance of strong family structures as foundational to civilization.

She noted that while there is a role for physical barriers, during her 2016 presidential campaign, she did not support a large-scale expansion of the border wall. Instead, she backed then-President Barack Obama’s executive actions that deferred immigration enforcement for many children and parents living illegally in the U.S. Moreover, she opposed family detention practices.

Clinton intends to maintain Obama’s policy of deporting violent criminals but wants to reduce immigration raids, which she previously criticized for instilling “unnecessary fear and disruption in our communities.” Back in 2018, she spoke against the Trump administration’s deportation policies, calling it shameful for a nation of immigrants to separate families.

In a speech at the Newmark Civic Life Series last year, Clinton reflected on the impact of immigrants on the American workforce, suggesting that their presence enhances the economy. She remarked that the U.S. economy was performing better than many developed countries due in part to the influx of immigrants who often had larger families.