2014 California Governor's race: on Immigration


Neel Kashkari: Sensible immigration reform needed, but not open borders

Kashkari thinks smart, sensible immigration reform is needed desperately. Kashkari himself is the child of immigrants, and sees the value of immigrants in the country, but says we can't have open borders. Kashkari also called out Gov. Jerry Brown for remaining silent on the issue of migrant children flooding through the borders. "This is one of a number of issues that he is hiding under his desk. Anything to avoid stepping into any controversy," he said.
Source: KFBK News Radio on 2014 California gubernatorial race Jul 10, 2014

Hilda Solis: Supports "Fast for Families" in favor of immigration reform

With the clock running out on immigration reform this year, a group of high-profile labor, faith and civic leaders from Los Angeles tried to bring urgency to the issue by joining a 24-hour fast, [part of] the national "Fast for Families" campaign taking place this month. He and others described the lack of immigration reform as a moral crisis that is leading to deportations and breaking up families.

Gomez was flanked by union leaders & politicians such as former Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. Solis, the daughter of immigrants said that it was important to immediately help the immigrants "who help put food on the table."

"They clean our offices, they stay until midnight, work graveyard shifts and help this country be prosperous," Solis said. "We do need to fast and we do need to say that those hardened hearts in the Congress and in the Senate need to change."

Source: South Calif. Public Radio on 2014 California Governor race Nov 26, 2013

Antonio Villaraigosa: Immigration reform is an economic and moral imperative

Q: The White House is planning a big push on immigration. Your thoughts?

VILLARAIGOSA: The time is now. We can't wait another political season to pass comprehensive immigration reform. This isn't just a moral, it's an economic imperative. If we bring these people, 11 million people from out of the dark and into the light, it's about a $1.5 trillion impact to the U.S. economy. The "dreamers" alone, a $329 billion impact. We can't do this piecemeal and we can't have second class citizenship. This has to be a pathway to full citizenship.

Q: Who are the first people that ought of get citizenship? You're talking about the kids in the DREAM Act?

VILLARAIGOSA: Obviously the people who become citizens first are the people who have been in line, after they've had a full background check, paid their back taxes. We've got to do this in a way that gives all of these people an opportunity to be full citizens of the United States of America.

Source: Face the Nation 2013 on 2014 California gubernatorial race Jan 13, 2013

Neel Kashkari: Expand visa programs for highly skilled workers

Revamping immigration policy for highly skilled workers: Business leaders have called for years for an overhaul of immigration policy for such workers--especially for those with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and math. Many politicians agree that U.S. universities attract the best students globally, yet our flawed policies force these bright people to leave after graduation. Encouraging the best students to stay, to build new companies and to contribute to industry, will aid our economic growth, increase our competitiveness and improve our long-term fiscal situation. Lawmakers should put politics aside, expand visa programs for highly skilled workers and provide a pathway toward citizenship for foreign-born students who earn advanced technical degrees in America.
Source: Kashkari Washington Post OpEd: 2014 California governor race Jun 1, 2012

  • The above quotations are from 2014 California Gubernatorial debates and race coverage.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Immigration.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Jerry Brown on Immigration.
  • Click here for more quotes by Antonio Villaraigosa 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 05, 2018