2018 FL Governor's race: on Immigration


Andrew Gillum: DACA is unconstitutional; opposes any path to citizenship

Q: Support path to citizenship for America's 11 million illegal immigrants, including "DACA" recipients or "Dreamers," who grew up in the US after being brought here as children?

Ron DeSantis (R): No. Considers DACA unconstitutional. Opposes any path to citizenship.

Andrew Gillum (D): Yes. Can protect national security & "have a secure border without criminalizing" undocumented people. Let them get alternative ID drivers' licenses. Continue in-state tuition.

Source: CampusElect.org Issue Guide on 2018 Florida Governor race Oct 9, 2018

Philip Levine: Fully supports a pathway to citizenship for immigrants

We are a state and a nation of immigrants, and the American Dream is the ability to move and immigrate to the United States. Philip knows that diversity is our strength and a competitive advantage. As Governor, Philip fully supports a path to citizenship for those who are here and want to contribute to our society. He will stand strong against President Trump to defend the thousands of DREAMers who were brought to our country for a better life.
Source: 2018 Florida Governor campaign website PhilipLevine2018.com Oct 9, 2018

Ron DeSantis: DACA is unconstitutional; opposes any path to citizenship

Q: Support path to citizenship for America's 11 million illegal immigrants, including "DACA" recipients or "Dreamers," who grew up in the US after being brought here as children?

Ron DeSantis (R): No. Considers DACA unconstitutional. Opposes any path to citizenship. DACA "amnesty" would further incentivize illegal immigration & chain migration. Fire officials who abet sanctuary cities.

Andrew Gillum (D): Yes. Can protect national security "without criminalizing" undocumented people.

Source: CampusElect.org Issue Guide on 2018 Florida Governor race Oct 9, 2018

Andrew Gillum: Protect borders without criminalizing undocumented people

Even though the power to enact and enforce immigration laws lies exclusively with the federal government, illegal immigration was a major theme of the primary campaigns of both Gillum [Republican gubernatorial opponent Ron] DeSantis.

DeSantis fully backs President Donald Trump's moves to enforce border security and deport illegal immigrants. As governor, DeSantis has promised to ban "sanctuary cities" even though virtually no city in Florida has such policies.

One of Gillum's campaign ads called for abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, but he would have no power to enact such a policy as governor.

Gillum slammed Trump's move to restrict federal grants to sanctuary cities in January 2017, saying it was "inconsistent with our highest values" and "we can protect our national security interests and have a secure border without criminalizing people who are here undocumented."

Source: Orlando Sentinel on 2018 Florida gubernatorial race Aug 31, 2018

Ron DeSantis: Supports E-Verify; opposes sanctuary cities

DeSantis fully backs President Donald Trump's moves to enforce border security and deport illegal immigrants. As governor, DeSantis has promised to ban "sanctuary cities" even though virtually no city in Florida has such policies. West Palm Beach was on a list of cities identified by the Trump administration as possibly having policies of non-cooperation with federal immigration officials, but elected officials there dispute that, saying they cooperate with federal authorities when asked.

Alachua and Clay counties have been accused of being sanctuary areas for not complying with detention requests in some instances, but those claims are disputed as well.

DeSantis also wants to enact an E-Verify law requiring employers to check the immigration status of their workers. It's an idea Gov. Rick Scott pushed in his first year in office but quickly dropped when it failed to get through the Legislature.

Source: Orlando Sentinel on 2018 Florida gubernatorial race Aug 31, 2018

Andrew Gillum: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens"?

A: Strongly Support--As Governor, Andrew will continue to fight mass deportation policies that threaten to split families and hurt Florida's economy.

Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Florida Governor candidate Jun 15, 2018

Andrew Gillum: Protect Dreamers from end of DACA

The White House's decision to end DACA is as wrong headed as it is heartless. When we deport children who have never known another country, we have truly lost our moral standing on the world stage. I am deeply saddened for the more than 100,000 Floridian Dreamers that are now facing massive upheaval in their lives. I will do everything I can to protect them now and when I become Governor.
Source: 2018 Florida Gubernatorial website AndrewGillum.com Sep 1, 2017

Adam Putnam: Opposed anti-immigrant laws that might affect workers

Putnam has been vocal in his opposition to what he considered anti-immigration legislation. Back in 2011, Putnam pointed to proposals in Georgia and Alabama which he considered anti-immigrant and said nothing like that would happen in Florida. Putnam also has been a longtime critic of Arizona's immigration law. He took aim at the Arizona law in 2011 and continued his criticism into 2012. Earlier this year, Putnam slammed a proposal to bring an Arizona style immigration law to Florida. Of course, the agriculture community, which Putnam has deep ties to, have been critical of efforts to crack down on immigration.
Source: Sunshine State News on 2018 Florida gubernatorial race Apr 2, 2016

Adam Putnam: Muslim ban is offensive to American values

Putnam denounced a proposal by Donald Trump to prevent Muslims from entering the country. "It was a ridiculous statement. It was offensive to American values," Putnam said.

Trump called for "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on." [Trump later identified seven particular countries for the immigration ban, and the Supreme Court added additional rules for vetting instead of a ban.]

Source: WJXT-Channel 4 on 2018 Florida gubernatorial race Apr 2, 2016

  • The above quotations are from 2018 Florida Gubernatorial race: debates and news coverage.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Immigration.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Rick Scott 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: Jun 10, 2019