Jeb Bush on Wednesday suggested that Republican front-runner Donald Trump's immigration plan is not only unfeasible, but would be illegal if implemented.
"Donald Trump is the frontrunner right now and so he needs to be held to the same standard as other candidates," the former Florida governor said on KSL News radio's The Doug Wright Show.
"When he says things, he needs to be - he needs to explain how he'll pay for it," he continued. "For example, it will cost hundreds of billions of dollars to deport 11 million people. It will violate civil liberties in this country for innocent American citizens. Building a wall and making another country pay for it is not a plan. He can't come up with the kind of money that it would take to do this."
Bush added that Trump's overall message on immigration and other issues make him unfit to be the Republican Party's general election nominee.
"Right now Mr. Trump is really good at dividing us up in our disparate parts, but we need a broader, more hopeful, optimistic message with a leader that has actually done it to be able to take this message to the - in the general election." Bush said. "And I intend to be that candidate. I'm working hard with a lot of support. I'm excited about the prospects of this. I know it's an arduous, long journey, but I believe we're on the right path to win."
Bush said that despite Trump's candidacy, he knows the best way forward in the primary campaign.
"I just think it's important to provide an alternative. First of all, inform people of what his views truly are, secondly to provide an alternative that gives people a sense of what conservatism, Reagan conservatism means, which is an uplifting message not one that's focused on grievance. And then respect the people that are supporting him today because of their legitimate anger about the dysfunction in Washington," Bush concluded.