2016 Vice Presidential prospects: on Immigration


Elizabeth Warren: Bring people out of shadow economy & help social security

We believe that immigration made this country strong and that immigration will make this country strong in the future. We believe that equal means equal. No matter the color of your skin, no matter what language your family speaks. One of the ways we can save Social Security is to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Bring more workers and bring more people out of the shadow economy and into the fully paid economy where everything is above the table.
Source: Huffington Post on 2016 Veepstakes: "Immigration Reform" Nov 1, 2016

Tim Kaine: Urges US to accept more Syrian refugees

The United States traditionally accepts at least 50 percent of resettlement cases from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). However, we have accepted only approximately 700 refugees since the beginning of the Syrian conflict, an unacceptably low number. While the United States is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees, we must also dramatically increase the number of Syrian refugees that we accept for resettlement.
Source: Kaine's Senate office website, during 2016 Veepstakes Jul 23, 2016

Mike Pence: Offensive & unconstitutional to ban Muslims from entering US

Pence has previously taken issue with some of Trump's national security proposals, calling his proposal to ban Muslim foreigners from entering the U.S. "offensive and unconstitutional" in a December tweet.
Source: CNN.com 2016 Veepstakes, "Pence foreign policy" Jul 15, 2016

Mike Pence: Return to country of origin before illegals get citizenship

Pence's record in the House: Pence supported proposals to allow illegal aliens to gain legal status, even while denying that such policies amount to amnesty. During the 2007 debate on amnesty legislation, Pence originated the idea of requiring illegal aliens to leave the country and then being permitted to return legally--an idea that Donald Trump has flirted with during the course of his presidential campaign. Pence voted against the DREAM Act amnesty and generally championed measures aimed at enforcing immigration laws.

Pence's record as Governor: Pence has had to deal with the effects and the costs of our nation's failed immigration policies. He publicly blamed Obama administration policies for the surge of unaccompanied alien minors entering the US. In addition, he challenged Pres. Obama's illegal use of executive power to grant de facto amnesty to millions of illegal aliens, joining with Texas & 24 other states in a lawsuit that blocked two sweeping Obama executive amnesty programs

Source: FAIR website, ImmigrationReform.com on 2016 Veepstakes Jul 15, 2016

Tim Kaine: Supported 2013 Senate immigration reform package

I was proud to join a majority of my Senate colleagues to pass a historic comprehensive immigration reform package in 2013, as well as speak about its importance in Spanish on the Senate floor. I support efforts to expand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) programs. For far too long, our immigration system has placed undue burdens on legal immigrants and kept millions of others living in the shadows of our society.
Source: Kaine's Senate office website, during 2016 Veepstakes Jun 23, 2016

Mike Pence: Temporarily suspend immigration from terrorist havens

"I am very supportive of Donald Trump's call to temporarily suspend immigration from countries where terrorists represent a threat to the United States," Pence said. Pence insisted that "we got to do something different." "The American people need to know who these people are. We have a proud tradition of refugee resettlement in my own state of Indiana -- but that has to be subordinated to the safety and security of the American people."
Source: Fox News on 2016 Veepstakes, "Pence echoes Trump" May 21, 2016

Thomas Perez: Solution is to break down barriers, not to build walls

When asked about the immigration debate within the Republican primary race, in which Donald Trump has called for a wall with Mexico and the deportation of millions of undocumented people, Perez criticized the political opposition.

"We desperately need comprehensive immigration reform," said Perez, the son of Dominican immigrants. "The solution is not to build walls. The solution is to break down barriers."

Source: WGRZ "2 On Your Side" coverage of 2016 Veepstakes Mar 19, 2016

Tim Kaine: Give millions of families an earned pathway to citizenship

Kaine said, "Two years, where after a strong bipartisan effort, we've waited for action--any action--by the House. Not just taking up our bill, but their own bill, and in a conference finding a compromise, which we can do. It's time that the House act. It's time that the Senate and House sit down together and do comprehensive immigration reform. We can give DREAMers and millions of other families who continue to live in the shadows an earned pathway to citizenship. It's time to pass that reform."
Source: Augusta Free Press on 2016 Veepstakes Jun 19, 2015

Elizabeth Warren: Supports President Obama's immigration reform

Look, I was proud to vote for comprehensive immigration reform a year and a half ago, and the Republicans haven't done anything since then. They keep blocking bringing this to a vote. So, I support the president in taking what actions he can within the law to help families, to help businesses and try to patch up this broken immigration system.
Source: Washington Post on 2016 Veepstakes: "Potential 2016ers" Nov 21, 2014

Tim Kaine: Comprehensive immigration policy instead of xenophobia

Q: Do you agree with the Justice Department legal challenge filed today to Arizona's law [enforcing immigration laws at the state level because of a lack of enforcement at the federal level]?

KAINE: I do I think the Arizona law comes out of a frustration with a broken federal immigration policy, but the way to fix it is for senators and House members of both parties to do what they said they had been doing, they should have done years ago and come up with a comprehensive immigration policy at the federal level. The solution isn't for states to go one-off and enact harsh policies that really, you know, show a real xenophobic face about who we are. We need to fix this, fix it at the federal level, that is what the president is set on doing.

Source: RealClearPolitics.com on 2016 Veepstakes Jul 6, 2010

  • The above quotations are from Vice Presidential possibilities for 2016.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Immigration.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Julian Castro on Immigration.
  • Click here for more quotes by Thomas Perez on Immigration.
2020 Presidential contenders on Immigration:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)
Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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Page last updated: Nov 30, 2021