Survey of Gubernatorial campaign websites, 2010-2011: on Immigration


Bill Haslam: Federal government immigration policy has failed

Tennessee is now paying a price for the failure of the federal government to effectively secure our nation's borders and enforce our immigration laws.
Source: 2010 Gubernatorial campaign site, billhaslam.com, "Issues" Nov 2, 2010

Brian Sandoval: I oppose amnesty; enforce our laws

Amnesty: I oppose amnesty. As a Federal Judge, I saw both sides of the immigration issue. It was my duty to sentence undocumented immigrants for their crimes, but it was also my honor to swear in new Americans.

I believe that we must enforce our laws, secure our borders and respect the efforts of those who have become a citizen through the proper legal process. The American Dream is alive and well, but it must be pursued legally.

Source: 2010 Gubernatorial campaign site briansandoval.com, "Issues" Nov 2, 2010

Lincoln Chafee: Supports legalization path & guest worker programs

Immigration--committed to helping immigrants integrate into our society and become US citizens: Lincoln Chafee is committed to helping immigrants integrate into our society and become US citizens. As U.S. Senator, supported the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act (S. 1033), an immigration reform bill that incorporated legalization, guest worker programs, and border enforcement components. As governor, one of his first acts will be to repeal the executive order on E-Verify.
Source: 2010 gubernatorial campaign website, chafeeforgovernor.com Nov 2, 2010

Matt Mead: Enforce immigration laws & secure borders

Legal, not illegal, immigration helped build our great country. I believe that our country's immigration laws must be enforced and our borders secured. I toured our southern border and was then, as I am now, deeply concerned that it remains unsecure. Open borders also lead to many of the illegal drugs.
Source: 2010 gubernatorial campaign website, meadforgovernor.com/ Nov 2, 2010

Nikki Haley: Co-sponsored toughest standard of immigration enforcement

We are a nation of immigrants but we are also a nation of laws. It is vitally important that the United States maintains its sovereignty through the process of legal immigration. Nikki has twice co-sponsored legislation that represents the toughest standard of immigration enforcement on the books nation-wide. In 2007, H4400 provided for such programs as E-verify and expanded the ability for state and local law enforcement to question, detain, and transport suspected illegal aliens and traffickers.
Source: 2010 Gubernatorial campaign website, nikkihaley.com "Issues" Nov 2, 2010

Allen Weh: End sanctuary policies; enforce the border

The next governor of New Mexico will have to deal with an increasingly volatile border that poses a grave threat to the security of our state and nation. As New Mexico's Governor, I will be in constant communication with the federal government to ensure that our border has the necessary manpower and equipment to stop people from entering our country illegally.

Furthermore, I will end the sanctuary policies of the Richardson-Denish administration that have made our state a haven for criminals who have entered our country illegally. I will immediately rescind the executive order put in place by this administration that forces our State Police officers to not enforce certain laws even though it hampers their ability to protect the public.

I will also work with the Legislature to eliminate the policy of handing out driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. This state is currently a very weak link in our homeland security, and I will change that.

Source: 2010 Gubernatorial campaign website, AllenWeh2010.com Nov 1, 2010

Andrew Cuomo: Disallow discrimination & exploitation of immigrants

We are a nation of immigrants and many of our forefathers and mothers came through Ellis Island in the hope and promise of a new beginning. It is critically important that we not allow the exploitation of immigrant communities. We must continue to fight immigration fraud, like those who exploit and target vulnerable immigrants by providing fraudulent immigration services. Moreover, we must continue to make sure that these communities do not face discrimination and receive fair wages and a safe workplace
Source: 2010 gubernatorial campaign website, andrewcuomo.com Nov 1, 2010

Charlie Baker: Verify legal status before providing any state benefits

Making Public Benefits Available to Only Those in This Country Legally: Without action from the federal government to toughen the country's illegal immigration laws, states must be able to respond to the problems created by illegal immigration. I support putting strict laws and polices into place that require state agencies to verify the legal status of applicants before providing state benefits [including drivers' licenses and in-state tuition]. I do not support providing public assistance to illegal immigrants. Doing so sends the wrong message to those who play by the rules.

Beacon Hill refuses to pass laws that will ensure state funding is not funneled to illegal residents. I would establish regulations, to the extent granted to me by law, which would not allow illegal immigrants to receive public assistance. As governor, I would reissue the executive order that Deval Patrick rescinded to allow the state police to work with federal agencies to enforce immigration laws.

Source: 2010 gubernatorial campaign website, charliebaker2010.com Nov 1, 2010

Kay Ivey: Vast sums pay for teaching children of illegal immigrants

ILLEGAL immigration has a harmful impact on our society on many levels. But one of the most frustrating is the hidden financial damage it's doing to our public schools in Alabama. You may not realize it, but vast sums of precious tax dollars are being siphoned off from your child's education to pay for the teaching of children whose parents are living here illegally.

According to a 2005 report by FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, Alabama spends $34 million on education for illegal immigrants every year, plus another $48 million on the children of U.S.-born children of illegal aliens. But even this $82 million price tag isn't the total cost. The FAIR report doesn't include the additional costs of reduced or free meals for any of these students, nor does it include the cost of dual language programs, which can cost anywhere from $290 to $879 per pupil.

Source: 2010 Alabama Gubernatorial campaign website KayIvey.org Mar 31, 2010

Gary Herbert: Failure to secure borders emblematic of misplaced priorities

The failure of our nation to secure its borders is emblematic of a federal government with misplaced priorities. The number of immigrants who are in the US illegally is creating societal challenges and costs that simply can no longer go unaddressed. I submit some guiding principles that should be considered as we discuss immigration reform options:
  1. There must be respect for the law.
  2. The federal government has a responsibility to secure our borders, to enforce immigration laws, and to draft meaningful immigration policy.
  3. There must be greater accountability from the private sector.
  4. The Utah solutions should recognize and respect the humanity of all people. Immigration reform efforts must be fair, colorblind and race-neutral.
  5. We must provide appropriate tools for law enforcement.
  6. We must relieve the burden on taxpayers. There are significant societal costs associated with illegal immigration that simply must be addressed.
Source: 2010 gubernatorial campaign website, garyherbert.com Jan 1, 2010

  • The above quotations are from Survey of Gubernatorial campaign websites, 2010-2011.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Immigration.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Bruce Lunsford on Immigration.
Candidates and political leaders on Immigration:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R)
Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R)
Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 03, 2018