John Hickenlooper on Immigration Democratic Presidential Challenger (withdrew, Aug. 2019); CO Governor

Federal agents taking children from parents is kidnapping

HICKENLOOPER: If you'd ever told me any time in my life that this country would sanction federal agents to take children from the arms of their parents, put them in cages, actually put them up for adoption--in Colorado, we call that kidnapping--I would have told you it was unbelievable. And the first thing we have to do is recognize the humanitarian crisis on the border for what it is. We make sure that there are the sufficient facilities in place so that women and children are not separated from their families, that children are with their families. We have to make sure that ICE is completely reformed and they begin looking at their job in a humanitarian way, where they're addressing the whole needs of the people that they are engaged with, and we have to make sure ultimately that we provide not just shelter, but food, clothing, and access to medical care.

Need a comprehensive reevaluation of our immigration laws

Crazy to drive out 11 million illegal immigrants

On immigration, Hickenlooper said both sides need to sit down and that hardliners must accept some realities. "To think we're ever in this country, that was founded and defined by immigrants, to expel 10 million to 11 million people is crazy," Hickenlooper said.

Family separation policy is cruel and un-American

• Immigration and border security: Opposes family separation policy.
• Hickenlooper signed an executive order as governor prohibiting the use of Colorado state resources to help implement the Trump administration's family separation policy at the southern border, calling the policy "cruel and un-American."
• Hickenlooper also did not send any National Guard troops to the southern border when Trump called on governors to do so in 2018.

In-state tuition & driver's license for undocumented people

Stringent verification process for Syrian refugees

Not soft on immigration, but against Arizona immigration law

Protect DREAMers instead of deporting them.

Nearly 800,000 young people eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA)--known as "Dreamers"--played no role in the decision to come here and they have known no other home but the United States.

Already, more than 12,000 Dreamers have lost their protective status and are susceptible to deportation. This is not a theoretical peril, but in fact an immediate and urgent one, because more than 100 young people in our cities and towns are losing their protective status every day. Those numbers will accelerate dramatically without a legislative fix.

We stand with these young American immigrants not only because it is good for our communities and a strong American 21st century economy, but also because it is the right thing for our nation to do. DACA recipients have subjected themselves to extensive background and security checks in order to work and attend college. They are studying at our universities. They are working to support themselves and their families, paying taxes and contributing to their communities in a myriad of ways. In the absence of congressional action providing for a permanent resolution, the termination of DACA puts these young people and their families in peril, and will destabilize our schools, workplaces and communities.

We recognize the complexities and challenges created by this issue, but swift, successful action is needed, action that can build momentum to reassure policymakers that progress on other immigration challenges is possible as well. As a bipartisan coalition of governors, we stand ready to help.