Longtime readers know that I am not exactly the strongest supporter of Donald Trump.  As a big employer of illegal aliens and a five-time party switcher, his commitment lends itself to some doubts.  But that is no excuse to criticize him in a forum meant to represent the Republican Party response to the Democratic Party.  That is, however, just what South Carolina governor Nikki Haley did.

According to her prepared remarks, Haley said:

During anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices," she will say, suggesting that Trump is an irrational, angry person who dislikes foreigners. 

"We must resist that temptation. No one who is willing to work hard, abide by our laws, and love our traditions should ever feel unwelcome in this country," says the speech.

This is code for welcoming illegal aliens.  This is how liberals talk: they claim that illegals haven't broken any laws if they haven't broken any additional laws besides entering the country illegally.  Nikki, they aren't abiding by our laws if they came here legally.  And they certainly aren't abiding by our traditions if they don't learn English.  And we don't dislike "foreigners"; we dislike "foreigners" who are here illegally, a distinction that eludes liberals, and apparently Nikki Haley.

She also added a caveat after her comments about welcoming immigrants, saying "at the same time, that does not mean we just flat out open our borders."

"We cannot continue to allow immigrants to come here illegally, and in this age of terrorism, we must not let in refugees whose intentions cannot be determined," she said. "That means stopping illegal immigration. And it means welcoming properly vetted legal immigrants, regardless of their race or religion."

If Haley doesn't want open borders and doesn't people to come here illegally, why did she say we should welcome anyone "willing to work hard"?  She seems to want to have it both ways.

To me, it's clear that Nikki Haley is sympathetic to illegal aliens and that she dislikes Donald Trump.  But what is worse, much worse, is that she is doing this during the Republican response to Obama's State of the Union.  She is supposed to present a united Republican front.  Instead, she is reportedly sniping at the Republican frontrunner.

There are many times and places that are appropriate to criticize Donald Trump, but Haley's speech is not one of them.  If Trump becomes our nominee, we must come together and support him.  Haley's speech makes it sound as though if Trump is the nominee, she will sit on her hands – or worse, furtively support Hillary.

Haley has been talked up by Politico and other media outlets as an ideal VP candidate, because she is a woman and not white (what great credentials!).  But I think she has made it very clear that she is more sympathetic to illegal aliens than to the leading candidate for the Republican nomination.  She should be the last candidate to be considered.

Exit question: If Donald Trump is the nominee, is there anyone besides Ted Cruz who will be a good ideological match on immigration for vice president?

This article was written by Ed Straker, senior writer of NewsMachete.com, the conservative news site.