On the campaign trail, Texas Senator Ted Cruz has started making this statement about the Gang of Eight immigration fight:

“For anyone who cares about the issue of amnesty, who cares about border security, that moment was the rubicon, it was the battle right there and then,” he said.

After a long pause, he added, “Mr. Trump was nowhere to be found. Did not engage in the battle. Said nothing.”

This is sort of a rhetorical device because if you’ve paid attention you know that Donald Trump’s opposition to illegal immigration is very recent.

Back in 1991, a judge found that Trump has conspired with business associates to hire illegal workers and cheat them of their pay:

In a ruling released on Thursday, a Federal judge found that Mr. Trump, a group of his associates and a union official conspired to avoid paying pension and welfare-fund contributions by hiring the immigrants to demolish the old Bonwit Teller building on East 57th Street at Fifth Avenue to make way for Trump Tower.

The ruling, by Judge Charles E. Stewart Jr. of the Southern District, found, in the behavior of the various defendants, “a conspiracy to deprive the funds of their rightful contribution.”

(As an aside, in Christian theology there are four sins that “cry to Heaven for vengeance.” Cheating workers of their just pay is one of those. Perhaps Trump should revisit his boast of never needing to ask God for forgiveness… which is also embraces as least three sins against the Holy Spirit.)

Back in 2013, Trump was a big believer in amnesty and in the DREAM program:

On an August day two years ago, Donald Trump was in a much different place: He was just a billionaire with the simple goal of connecting his beauty pageant business with the upcoming Hispanic Heritage Awards.

So at his New York penthouse office atop Trump Tower, he convened a meeting.

Trump ushered in a pair of men — one to talk about the awards and a Democratic strategist who works with nonprofits — and three young DREAMer activists. The DREAMers were on a tour sharing their stories with those less likely to support them, like tea party supporters.

…

“You know, the truth is I have a lot of illegals working for me in Miami,” he told them, using the term for undocumented immigrants those in the meeting found offensive. “You know in Miami, my golf course is tended by all these Hispanics — if it wasn’t for them my lawn wouldn’t be the lawn it is; it’s the best lawn,” Pacheco recalled Trump saying.

Trump said he knew the work of undocumented people is what makes his golf courses and hotels great.

“At the end of the day, what we’re looking at is a value proposition for America,” Tijerino said to Trump at the end of the meeting, referring to immigration legislation.

“You’ve convinced me,” Trump said to the delight of the activists in the room.

Compare, by the way, the casual aplomb shown above on the subject of hiring illegals with the duplicitous whistle-and-tap-dance act he does when Anderson Cooper asks him the question back in July.

Of course he can’t guarantee it, he knows he employs illegals. He knows that his business needs them. And he’s willing to extend an amnesty.

For all the woofing Donald Trump does about immigration, the fact is that while the Gang of Eight immigration fight was going on, a fight in which Ted Cruz opposed that bill, Donald Trump’s views on immigration were indistinguishable from the Gang of Eight bill. And in the past he has not only profited from using illegal immigrants but he has, on several occasions, disavowed his bulls*** claim that he would deport them.