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Jesse Ventura on Immigration

Former Independent MN Governor; possible Presidential Challenger

 


Border wall would make Reagan turn over in his grave

It seems to me that one of Ronald Reagan's most famous quotes was, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." I think Ronald Reagan today is turning over in his grave because the Republicans want to build a wall between Mexico and the United States. To me, the whole wall is ridiculous. Do we want to live in East Berlin? No. And Ronald Reagan would not support this; he probably wouldn't even be considered for president in today's Republican Party.
Source: Time magazine on 2020 presidential hopefuls , Aug 2, 2016

Great Wall of China failed; so will the Great Wall of the US

I went to China on a trade mission, and climbed the Great Wall of Beijing. Which had sparked my contemplating the "great wall" that the US is planning to build between us and Mexico, as a supposed answer to illegal immigration. By the end of '08, about 670 miles are supposed to be completed along our southwestern border. Why is it we don't see that if you don't learn from history you're destined to repeat it? The Great Wall of China did not work. The most formidable barrier ever built by mankind-- and it failed! In 1644, the Chinese were overrun and now the Great Wall is nothing but a tourist attraction. At least their Great Wall is an architectural wonder that people built by hand, all day long, many of them living and dying there. So I hope they end up making our "great wall" tourist friendly. I tell Terry that, when it gets built, I'm gonna find where it's on public land and I'm gonna cross it into Mexico, in protest. I don't want my country to be East Berlin.
Source: Don`t Start the Revolution, by Jesse Ventura, p. 88 , Apr 1, 2008

Immigration is an integral part of who we are

Immigration is nowhere near the catastrophe the more vocal segments of the Right want you to believe it is. Because they’re opposed to immigration, many of the folks on the far Right would like for you to believe that our country is being overrun with indigent Mexicans and Haitians, which is simply not true. America has always been a nation of immigrants. Yes, we do have to uphold a fair and sensible policy where immigration is concerned. But immigration is an integral part of who we are.
Source: Do I Stand Alone, by Jesse Ventura, p. 50 , Jul 2, 2000

Official English leads to Official Christianity

In spite of the fact that the Constitution is very clear about this, there are still people among the Religious Right who are pushing to have Christianity declared the official state and national religion. They can make some halfway decent arguments for making English the official language, so why not extend that to religion? They point to the decline of our nation’s morals and they claim that Christian discipline would raise the moral standard of this country. They argue that the Founding Fathers were Christian, so why shouldn’t the nation be?

Sure, most of the Founding Fathers were Christian, but so what? They had the perfect opportunity to establish Christianity as the national religion, and they chose not to. In fact, they strictly forbade it.

Religious authority alone can be vastly powerful. Couple that with the power of government, and you’ve created a monster [of potential corruption]. The separation of church and state deters both institutions from corruption by cutting their power in half

Source: Do I Stand Alone, by Jesse Ventura, p.107-8 , Jul 2, 2000

Emergency medical, but no other services, for illegal imms.

Illegal immigration is just that, illegal. We owe those individuals who are illegally in the US emergency medical treatment when it is needed, but no education benefits, financial assistance or other benefits that all legal immigrants and US citizens are entitled to. American citizens pay for their benefits through taxes illegal immigrants do not. If we provide free services to illegal immigrants, our actions encourage and support illegal activity, rather than discourage or punish it.
Source: 1998 campaign web site, jesseVentura.org/98campaign , Nov 1, 1998

Grant legal immigrants all benefits of citizens

Legal immigrants should be granted all of the benefits the United States has to offer. The United States encouraged or granted these individuals the right to reside in our country, we should make them welcome. That is not to say that legal immigrants should be given a free ride, they should know in advance, that when they come to the United States, they are expected to work and support themselves, just as natural-born citizens are expected to do.
Source: 1998 campaign web site, jesseVentura.org/98campaign , Nov 1, 1998

Share costs of legal immigration between states & federal.

Ventura adopted the National Governors Association policy:


Source: NGA policy HR-2: Immigration and Refugee Policy 01-NGA3 on Feb 15, 2001

Federal government should deal with criminal repatriation.

Ventura adopted the National Governors Association policy:



Finally, the Governors are concerned about the large number of deported felons that are returning to the United States. A significant number of the criminal alien felons housed in state prisons and local jails are previously convicted felons who reentered the United States after they were deported. The Governors urge the federal government to provide sufficient funds for proven positive identification systems, like the Automated Fingerprinting Identification System (AFIS), to allow for the expanded use of these systems in the rest of the nation.
Source: NGA policy HR-2: Immigration and Refugee Policy 01-NGA4 on Feb 15, 2001

Ease Canadian border-crossing rules.

Ventura signed the Midwestern Governors' Conference resolution:

Source: Resolution of Midwestern Governors' Conf. on Canadian Border 99-MGC1 on Oct 14, 1999

Other candidates on Immigration: Jesse Ventura on other issues:
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Pres.Donald Trump (R-NY)
V.P.Mike Pence (R-IN)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
CEO Don Blankenship (Constitution-WV)
CEO Rocky De La Fuente (R-CA)
Howie Hawkins (Green-NY)
Jo Jorgensen (Libertarian-IL)
Gloria La Riva (Socialist-CA)
Kanye West (Birthday-CA)

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Rep.Justin Amash (Libertarian-MI)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (Libertarian-RI)
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Zoltan Istvan (Libertarian-CA)
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CEO Howard Schultz (Independent-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (Green-MN)
V.C.Arvin Vohra (Libertarian-MD)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld (Libertarian-NY,R-MA)

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Rep.Val Demings (D-FL)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
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External Links about Jesse Ventura:
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Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
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Page last updated: Mar 20, 2021