Is Trump shifting his immigration rhetoric?

CLEVELAND (AP) — As he turns his attention to the general election, Donald Trump is signaling that he is ready to tone down his fiery rhetoric on illegal immigration — at least behind closed doors.

[...] Republican officials appear eager to push him in a more moderate direction, telling Hispanics that he has abandoned his divisive primary pledge to deport the estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally — even if Trump hasn't said so publicly himself.

"Trump has already said that he will not do massive deportations," Helen Aguirre Ferre, the Republican National Committee's director of Hispanic communications, told reporters at a Spanish-language briefing at the party's convention two weeks ago.

"Two or three weeks ago, (Trump) conceded in an interview in Bloomberg in which he said the term 'massive deportation' is not used by him, and it was planted by a journalist," said the head of Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, Alfonso Aguilar, who recently signed a letter along with several other Latino conservatives endorsing Trump.

[...] the group has also been exploring various options to deal with the millions of otherwise law-abiding immigrants living in the shadows, who are often afraid to report crimes or abuse for fear of deportation.

Pastor Herman Martir, the president Asian Action Network, who is also involved in the effort, said that after meeting recently with the candidate to discuss his community's concerns, he expects to see a "change of tone in terms of being inclusive."