Trump: 'Immigration Security Is National Security'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Security and immigration remained in focus on the presidential campaign trail Tuesday because of the local terror attacks.
CBS2's Dick Brennan reported Republican nominee Donald Trump seized on the attacks to tout his agenda, blasting U.S. immigration policy after a report that hundreds of people scheduled to be deported got citizenship instead.
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"Attack after attack, from 9/11 to San Bernardino to Orlando, we have seen how failure to screen who is entering the United States puts all of our citizens in great danger," Trump said. "I've been saying this for a long time: immigration security is national security."
Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton held a conference call with national security advisers about the recent bombings and efforts to disrupt terrorist recruiting online. She also called into a radio show to indicate she's ready for Trump at next week's debate.
"I am going to do my very best to communicate as clearly and fearlessly as I can in the face of the insults and the attacks that we've seen coming from my opponent," Clinton said. "I can take it."
Former President George H.W. Bush reportedly told a group of private Democrats and Republicans that he will vote for Clinton.
Kathleen Harrington Kennedy Townsend, who was at the meeting, tweeted out the news.
A spokesman for the former president would neither confirm nor deny the comment. Trump spent the primary season ridiculing former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
Former President George W. Bush was seen in March embracing Clinton at Nancy Reagan's funeral.
Earlier this year, former first lady Barbara Bush said she doesn't understand why people are supporting Trump.
"He sort of makes faces and says insulting things. He says terrible things about women, terrible things about military. I don't understand why people are for him," she said. "I'm sick of him."
In other news, Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., continues to get criticism for tweeting, "If I had a bowl of skittles and I told you just three would kill you, would you take a handful? That's our Syrian refugee problem."
Wrigley, Skittles' parent company, said in a statement, "Skittles are candy. Refugees are people. We don't feel it's an appropriate analogy."
The Trump campaign said that "speaking the truth might upset some who would rather be politically correct than safe."
A recent NBC News/SurveyMonkey Weekly Election Tracking Poll shows that Clinton holds a six-point lead nationally over Trump among registered voters – 49 to 43 percent.
