George Pataki isn't mincing words in his opinion of Donald Trump's immigration plan.
"To be honest, its nuts!" Pataki, the former governor of New York and Republican presidential candidate, said Tuesday on "The Steve Malzberg Show" on
Newsmax TV.
Trump is calling for the deportation of some 11 million illegal immigrants, and even so-called "anchor babies," an idea Pataki condemns.
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"Let me just give you one example: you have a 10-year-old girl in fifth grade in school somewhere around America. Born in America, an American citizen, speaks perfect English, has never been out of the United States," he said.
"We're going to send them police or soldiers, drag her from the classroom and send her to a country she has never been, an American citizen? This is not just clearly illegal, it's nuts. It's not going to happen."
Pataki said the nation's biggest immigration challenge is the drug dealers and terrorists flooding over the borders and others who overstay their visas.
"We don't have control of our border. That's the big problem. We have to solve that," he said.
Trump's appeal, Pataki believes, is based on two facts:
"One is a very real anger among the American people towards Washington and the inside game that's played there. I share that anger," he said.
"The second is an anger towards the permanent political class. People are tired of politicians. They get elected in Washington, it doesn't matter which party, nothing ever changes."
"They want someone who's going to say what they do, do what they say, get things done, change Washington — and sadly I don't think Trump is the right guy but I understand we need someone who's not part of Washington."
Pataki complained that Washington no longer represents the American people.
"It is an inside game. The tax code is incomprehensible. There's one former legislator who's a lobbyist for every current legislator. The taxes are too high. The economy is too weak," he said.
"We're not protecting ourselves globally and we have to take back our government."
Pataki said Trump should apologize for reigniting his war with Fox News star Megyn Kelly by peppering her with insults on Twitter.
"When he gratuitously refers to her as a 'bimbo,' that is outrageous. That is over the line. She is a good professional journalist and it just shows a demeaning attitude towards women," he said.
"But then Donald Trump has shown a demeaning attitude towards war heroes, towards Mexicans, towards every other candidate in this race."
Pataki has also been the target of Trump's wrath, but the former Empire State leader told Steve Malzberg, "He loved me while I was governor. He told me time and again what a great governor I was."
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