State of New Jersey Archives: on Immigration
Phil Murphy:
Oppose efforts to use police to assist in mass deportations
Phil believes that there is no greater tragedy than when we pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to educate a hard-working student through 12th grade, only to tell them that they are on their own. Now that Donald Trump is President,
Phil will protect the Dreamers and oppose any efforts to use state and local police to assist in mass deportations. He will also end Governor Christie's pandering to the hard-right special interests and take action at the state level to make life easier
for our undocumented neighbors by:- Providing drivers licenses and statewide ID to undocumented residents;
- Extending in-state financial aid to the Dreamers;
-
Increasing access to professional licenses for immigrants; and
- Raising the minimum wage, guaranteeing earned sick leave, and strengthening workplace protections.
Source: 2017 N.J. gubernatorial campaign website, Murphy4NJ.com
Jun 6, 2017
Tom MacArthur:
Begin with secure borders; no amnesty nor benefits
Tom believes that any attempt to address immigration must begin with strong and secure borders and that any illegal immigrant who has committed a crime must be immediately returned to their country of origin. Tom opposes amnesty and in-state
tuition for those here illegally. He believes that illegal immigrants in this country today should be required to pay back taxes, learn English and get in line behind those who have observed the law as part of any tough, but fair path to citizenship.
Source: 2014 N.J. House campaign website, TMac4congress.com
Nov 4, 2014
Jeff Bell:
Support pathway to citizenship, plus guest workers
Q: Do you support or oppose a pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens?A: Support. Immigration has always been a key strength of this country, both culturally and economically. Our current system is badly broken and needs fixing in a manner that
secures our borders and encourages future immigrants to come here legally. We should provide a path to legalization for the roughly 11 million people here illegally, with fines and payment of back taxes a minimum requirement for obtaining legal status.
Once these requirements have been met, citizenship should be a possibility but with no preferential path other than that available to immigrants who have remained within the law.
Q: What about a guest worker program?
A: To prevent
recurrence of the problems of recent decades, immigration reform must include a generous guest worker program with state-by-state flexibility to exceed any nationwide limits or quotas specified by federal policy.
Source: Email interview for 2014 N.J. Senate race with OnTheIssues
Jul 1, 2014
Barbara Buono:
Supports tuition equality for illegal immigrants
Christie threaded the needle on the Dream Act, a law that would permit students who entered the country illegally to ptway in-state tuition rates.
Two years ago he said the state couldn't afford to extend tuition equality to "people who haven't followed the rules."
A few days ago in front of a largely Hispanic crowd, he said it's time to reconsider the measure. "I've never been opposed to tuition equality," Christie said.
Buono supports the measure, which has not gone to a vote in the Legislature yet. "Be careful, this governor has a history of saying one thing and doing another," Buono said
Source: Newark Star-Ledger on 2013 N.J. Governor debates
Oct 16, 2013
Chris Christie:
I've never been opposed to tuition equality for illegals
Christie threaded the needle on the Dream Act, a law that would permit students who entered the country illegally to pay in-state tuition rates. Two years ago he said the state couldn't afford to extend tuition equality
to "people who haven't followed the rules." A few days ago in front of a largely Hispanic crowd, he said it's time to reconsider the measure. "I've never been opposed to tuition equality," Christie said.
Source: Newark Star-Ledger on 2013 N.J. Governor debates
Oct 16, 2013
Steve Lonegan:
No on amnesty; tighter border security
On immigration, [both GOP candidates] said the border with Mexico was too porous. Eck expressed sympathy for children illegally brought to this country when they are young, but said, "Until you secure the border and be like every other country on Earth,
where you know who is coming in and who is going out, we're not a secure country."Lonegan said he "would have voted no on the amnesty bill."
He called for tighter security and more allowances for workers to come to the United States,
and said undocumented immigrants already in the country should have to find a sponsor to stay.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer on 2013 N.J. Senate debate
Aug 2, 2013
Murray Sabrin:
Secure our borders from foreign terror & illegal immigration
The Sabrin Solution has three principles and goals:- secure our country from both foreign terror and illegal immigration
- secure our economic future by getting government off our backs and out of our wallets, and
- securing our education for our
children by introducing competition into the failed educational bureaucracy.
The first principle and goal must be to secure our country and that starts with building a fence along our borders, both North and South; we must use the limited financial
resources of our government to protect our sovereignty at home. When you have a porous border you can't control who or what is coming and going. I have always said, "Fences make good neighbors." This insanity will stop when I am elected to the U.S.
Senate. If we secure our border we can take back the freedoms and liberties we have had to sacrifice. If we are being forced to choose between freedom and security because the government has failed--we need to choose new government!
Source: 2008 N.J. Senate campaign website MurraySabrin.com
Nov 1, 2008
Murray Sabrin:
The Sabrin Solution: Official English and no amnesty
Sabrin stated, "The US Constitution was written in English and these powerful words bind our nation together. As someone who immigrated legally to the United States as a boy whose second language was English, my family was proud to assimilate into
American culture and learn English. I will support the National Language Act when I become a US Senator and I have outlined The Sabrin Solution 5-Point Immigration Reform:"- Secure our borders both North and South from foreign terrorists and
illegal immigrants
- Make English the official language of the United States
- End birth-right citizenship
- Do not allow any amnesty for illegal immigrants to become United States citizens; to become a citizen they must return to their home
countries and enter our nation legally
- For those illegal immigrants who want to live, work and pay taxes (but not be granted citizenship) they must pay a financial penalty and go through a thorough background check to become a legal resident.
Source: Press release, "Sabrin Solution", in 2008 N.J. Senate race
May 5, 2008
Robert Menendez:
Enforcement-only means largest deportation in history
Q: Should illegal immigrants be forcibly deported? MENENDEZ: An enforcement-only approach-which Kean now supports-has not worked. But last spring, Kean called for a path towards legal status for illegal immigrants if they paid a fine-similar to the
bi-partisan bill I voted for. However, just two weeks later, Kean said the legislation should include deporting all undocumented immigrants. Making a felon of anyone undocumented would bring about the most massive roundup and deportation in the history
of the world.
KEAN: Menendez voted against hiring 10,000 new border agents; voted against a security fence across the US-Mexico border; and voted against enhancing sentences for illegal aliens convicted of a violent crime. That’s a dangerous voting
record. My immigration stance can be summed up in two sentences:
- Unlike Menendez, I do not support amnesty for illegal migrants.
- Unlike Menendez, I do not support giving Social Security and other benefits to illegal migrants.
Source: Hall Institute N.J. Senate Virtual Debate
Sep 24, 2006
Thomas Kean Jr.:
Menendez’ soft voting record on immigration is dangerous
Q: Should illegal immigrants be forcibly deported? MENENDEZ: An enforcement-only approach-which Kean now supports-has not worked. But last spring, Kean called for a path towards legal status for illegal immigrants if they paid a fine-similar to the
bi-partisan bill I voted for. However, just two weeks later, Kean said the legislation should include deporting all undocumented immigrants. Making a felon of anyone undocumented would bring about the most massive roundup and deportation in the history
of the world.
KEAN: Menendez voted against hiring 10,000 new border agents; voted against a security fence across the US-Mexico border; and voted against enhancing sentences for illegal aliens convicted of a violent crime. That’s a dangerous voting
record. My immigration stance can be summed up in two sentences:
- Unlike Menendez, I do not support amnesty for illegal migrants.
- Unlike Menendez, I do not support giving Social Security and other benefits to illegal migrants.
Source: Hall Institute N.J. Senate Virtual Debate (X-ref Menendez)
Sep 24, 2006
Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021