Kirsten Gillibrand said her past stances on immigration did not consider the needs of diverse Americans. | Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo 2020 Elections Gillibrand: I was wrong on immigration

Democratic presidential hopeful Kirsten Gillibrand on Tuesday confronted some of her previous stances on immigration, saying her past positions "didn't care" about the needs of diverse Americans.

"When I was a member of Congress from upstate New York, I was really focused on the priorities of my district," the New York senator said during a CNN town hall. "When I became senator of the entire state, I recognized that some of my views really did need to change."


Before becoming a senator in 2009, Gillibrand represented a largely Republican district in the House and expressed ideas on immigration — from blocking certain benefits for undocumented immigrants to establishing English as an official language — that have come back to haunt her as she seeks the Democratic nomination in 2020.

Those old stances especially corrode her platform as the antithesis of President Donald Trump, who has made harsher penalties and stricter enforcement of immigration laws a cornerstone of his campaign and administration.

During the town hall, Gillibrand said she has changed considerably since her time in the House, and that she was "ashamed" of her past positions. She used her ideological evolution to further distance herself from the president, who she said is incapable of change.

"For people who aspire to be president, I think it's really important that you're able to admit when you're wrong and that you're able to grow and learn and listen and be better, and be stronger," Gillibrand said. "That is something that Donald Trump is unwilling to do."

Gillibrand said she has made comprehensive immigration reform a key priority during her time in the Senate. She said she would continue to fight to reunite families separated under the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policies last summer, and also supported establishing a path to citizenship for the recipients of DACA.

