Weekly Debate: Immigration and the U.S. presidential hopefuls

Elections for the next U.S. president may be over a year away, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to speculate. How do the main candidates stand on the immigration debate? Let’s take a look at what some of them said on their official websites and links to a few other sources.

Hillary Clinton

“I believe the Bush administration is failing to meet what should be the basic requirements of immigration policy: continuing our American tradition of welcoming immigrants who follow the rules and are trying to build a better life for their families, while strengthening national security in a post 9-11 world.

Our current immigration laws need to be reformed: we need a better solution to the question of illegal immigration which recognizes the conflict between the need to enforce the law, and the reality that too many employers are using undocumented workers today”.

(Source)

Additional links- “Immigration Debate is Shaped by ’08 Election” and “Sen. Clinton Slams GOP Immigration Bill”

Rudy Giuliani

Unfortunately, Giuliani’s website does not mention his stance on immigration. Hence, we will use the following brief analysis from OnTheIssues.org:

“Supports Senate guest worker plan & path to citizenship. (Nov 2006)”

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Additional links- “Giuliani Flip-Flops on Immigration” and “Giuliani campaigns in Newport Beach”

John McCain

“This Nation is calling for our borders to be secured and for an overhaul of our immigration system, and that it be done in a humane and comprehensive fashion. Vote after vote after vote taken in this body reaffirms that fact.

The new policies as provided for under [the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006] will increase border security and provide for a new, temporary worker program to enable foreign workers to work legally in this country when there are jobs that American workers won't fill. And, it will acknowledge and address in a humanitarian and compassionate way the current undocumented population.”

(Source)

Additional links- “Kennedy-McCain partnership falters” and “McCain modifies immigration position”

Barack Obama

“The Department of Homeland Security recognizes that identifying and deporting the 11 million undocumented workers currently in this country would be both logistically impossible and highly disruptive to the American economy. Instead of mass deportations, Senator Obama believes that Congress must pass comprehensive, compassionate reform that reaffirms the rule of law and brings the undocumented population out of hiding”.

(Source)

Additional links- “What Are the Candidates Saying About Immigration Reform? Senator Barack Obama” and “Obama: Immigrants need chance to become citizens”

Bill Richardson

“A nation of laws cannot allow millions of undocumented immigrants to live in the shadows and hundreds of thousands more to enter the country illegally every year. For decades politicians have passed laws on immigration with a wink and a nudge, with no intent of following through and making sure those laws were enforced.

For far too long, the immigration debate has been about electoral politics, not about policy. We need more honest leadership than that. We need to stop exploiting the immigration problem, and start solving it. We need to pass realistic laws and then enforce them rigorously”.

(Source)

Additional links- “Richardson Speaks Against Border Fence” and “GOP resists Bush’s immigration pitch”

Mitt Romney

“Immigration has been an important part of our nation's success. The current system, however, puts up a concrete wall to the best and brightest, yet those without skill or education are able to walk across the border. We must reform the current immigration laws so we can secure our borders, implement a mandatory biometrically enabled, tamper proof documentation and employment verification system, and increase legal immigration into America”.

(Source)

Additional links- “Mitt Romney on the issues” and “Giuliani, McCain neck and neck in SC”

So who do you think is the best candidate on the topic of immigration? Vote in our poll below and/or feel free to leave a comment. (Note: the poll closes on May 5^th).