State of New Hampshire secondary Archives: on Immigration
Bernie Sanders:
Supports path to citizenship for illegals
I am supportive of comprehensive immigration reform and a path towards citizenship for
11 million people today who are living in the shadows.
Source: MSNBC Democratic primary debate in New Hampshire
Feb 4, 2016
Bill Weld:
Guest worker program rather than path to citizenship
We should adopt a robust guest worker program, to assist our agricultural and construction industries, particularly in the western states. We don't need a path to citizenship for eleven million people, but we do need more and longer work visas.
Under the current regime, we're simply educating our competition in our graduate schools, and then sending them home to China and other economic competitors of the U.S. We may not need a long impenetrable wall, but we do need short-term bridges.
Source: Speech in New Hampshire by 2020 presidential hopefuls
Feb 15, 2019
Bob Smith:
Securing our borders is matter of economic stability
Question topic: Government should enforce laws designed to protect the border and to prevent illegal entry of persons into the country.Smith: Strongly Agree.
Question topic: Briefly list political or legislative issues of most concern to you.
Smith: End Illegal Immigration and amnesty. Securing our borders. Is a matter of economic stability, national security and respect for rule of law.
Source: Faith2Action iVoterGuide on 2014 New Hampshire Senate race
Jul 2, 2014
Carol Shea-Porter:
Allow administrative amnesty to some illegal aliens
Ballotpedia.org analysis of Congressional voting record on immigration issues: Shea-Porter voted NAY on Morton Memos Prohibition: Shea-Porter voted against House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order.
The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201.
The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos."
These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain illegal aliens residing in the United States. The vote largely followed party lines.
Source: Ballotpedia.org coverage of 2016 New Hampshire Governor race
Jun 6, 2013
Chris Sununu:
The US should halt admitting Syrian refugees
Chris Sununu, a Republican gubernatorial hopeful, said the US should halt admitting Syrian refugees at this time. "A governor has no greater priority than the safety and security of their state's citizens, and
New Hampshire must not accept any Syrian refugees unless the US government can 100 percent guarantee they are not ISIS members or supporters," Sununu said.
Source: Manchester Union Leader on 2016 New Hampshire governor race
Nov 17, 2015
Chris Sununu:
Don't block all immigration; do block 10,000 Syrian refugees
Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas criticized Sununu, saying his rhetoric on immigration and other issues doesn't match his actions.
Asked whether immigration is vital to the state's economy and workforce, Sununu said electing a governor who understands business is more important and touted his opposition to
President Barack Obama's plan to bring 10,000 Syrian refugees to the United States.
Gatsas then criticized Sununu for also voting against a plan to temporarily halt immigration to Manchester several years ago, but Sununu said that vote had nothing to do with Obama's plan.
Source: The Herald on 2016 New Hampshire Gubernatorial debate
Sep 6, 2016
Chris Sununu:
Supports DREAMers; reform immigration laws
Joining us today from Dover are [asylum seekers facing deportation under new immigration enforcement], and their children. They have made an honest attempt to navigate the legal process, have a valid legal claim for asylum,
and have come forward to work with authorities. They should not be on the front line for deportation. Their children, who ARE American citizens, should not be forced to return to a country they have never known,
to learn a language they do not speak, and to conform to a society that will not allow them or their parents the freedom to practice their faith as they choose.
While I firmly believe that action must be taken to curb illegal immigration, it is also imperative that the process for legal immigration becomes more streamlined and practical.
Source: 2018 New Hampshire State of the State address
Feb 15, 2018
Chuck Morse:
Secure & defend border against crime, drugs, terror threats
[On the Mexican border]: "Maggie Hassan's silence while Joe Biden and the Democrats rip a brand new hole in our southern border is outrageous," said Morse. "We need to get serious on securing and
defending our border--the crime, drugs, and terror threats that have entered our country under Hassan's watch are inexcusable. When I'm in the U.S Senate we'll secure our border and put America First policies back in place."
Source: NH Journal on 2022 New Hampshire Senate race
Mar 30, 2022
Colin Van Ostern:
Make sure new immigrants learn English & civics
The Democratic [debate] featured Executive Councilor Colin Van Ostern and Mark Connolly, former director of the state bureau of securities regulation.
Both said they disagreed with Hassan's call to freeze immigration of Syrian refugees to the state.
And in contrast to the Republican debate, both called immigration key to the state's economic growth. Asked whether the state should prevent so-called sanctuary cities,
Van Ostern said the state should focus on making sure new immigrants can learn English, take civics classes and gain job skills. "We should focus on what we can actually do right here in New Hampshire."
Source: The Herald on 2016 New Hampshire Gubernatorial debate
Sep 6, 2016
Corky Messner:
For border wall to stop flow of illegal immigrants & drugs
Q: Support expanded border walls?Corky Messner: Yes. Supports Trump's wall to "secure the southern border to put an end to illegal immigration" and "help stop and slow the flow of illegal drugs."
Jeanne Shaheen: No.
Opposed diverting military funding to pay for wall "that President Trump promised Mexico would pay for." Supports common-sense strong security at our borders.
Source: CampusElect survey of 2020 New Hampshire Senate race
Sep 30, 2020
Dan Feltes:
Protect DREAMers, opposed funding border wall
Q: Encourage or restrict immigration?Dan Feltes: Encourage. Supports protections for "DREAMers." Opposed Trump funding for border wall. Opposed bill limiting adult-education programs to "legal residents."
Chris Sununu: Mixed. Supports strengthened vetting process. Undocumented immigrants brought as children should remain. But did not join multi-state suit against border wall.
Source: CampusElect survey on 2020 New Hampshire Gubernatorial race
Nov 3, 2020
Don Bolduc:
Effectively secure our borders, including a wall
Bolduc embraced Trump's call for a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, saying "the wall is a part of the overall border security issue.
There are many other things. Infrastructure, a shortage of our border patrol folks. Technology. All of those things, combined with a wall, will effectively secure our borders."
Source: Portsmouth Herald on 2020 New Hampshire Senate race
Jun 24, 2019
Don Bolduc:
Citizenship off the table for those entering illegally
?Enhancing the security of our borders is not "anti-immigration." A weak border allows free access to our citizens by those with anti-American intentions and motivated by radical ideologies. It is an avenue by which many of the drugs, human trafficking,
and illegal weapons that are fueling our crisis of addiction flow into the U.S. American citizenship is a privilege. If you enter this country by breaking our laws, I believe achieving citizenship should be off the table.
Source: 2020 New Hampshire Senate campaign website DonBolduc.com
Feb 10, 2020
Jeanne Shaheen:
We need to fix our broken immigration system
Brown said Shaheen missed a chance to strip US citizenship from homegrown terrorists who have gone to fight overseas. "She says now that she wants to take away their passports, but she's had many opportunities.
A bill that Sen. Lieberman and I filed almost three years ago, another bill that was filed recently," Brown said.
Shaheen pointed out hearings Brown missed on the same issue while he was a senator from Massachusetts. "We need to fix our broken immigration system,
and the way to do it is not to refuse to go to a hearing on border security," Shaheen said. With the rise of ISIS in the Middle East, foreign affairs have become a central issue in the race.
Source: WMUR ABC-9 Manchester on 2014 New Hampshire Senate debate
Oct 7, 2014
Jim Rubens:
No amnesty; no birthright citizenship; no sanctuary cities
Here's where I stand:- No amnesty, work permits, or path to citizenship for those who entered our country illegally.
- Build the wall along the Mexican border and defend our borders.
- Deport all illegal aliens who have committed a felony.
-
Oppose Kelly Ayotte's I-squared bill which would triple H-1B visas and replace more good-paying American jobs with foreigners. Grant foreign worker permits only when Americans cannot be found to do specific jobs, not to drive down wages for Americans.
Foreign workers should return to their home countries each year when their permits expire.
- Fully fund the US-Visit system approved by Congress in 1996 which would log entry and exit at our borders of all non-US citizens.
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Oppose birthright citizenship. Stop giving automatic citizenship at birth to children if both parents are illegal aliens or visitors. The US and Canada are the only two economically-advanced nations to permit this.
- Oppose sanctuary cities.
Source: 2016 New Hampshire Senate campaign website JimRubens.com
Apr 1, 2016
Karen Testerman:
Illegal immigrants are stealing from our country
My family immigrated to this country in the early 1900's. The process for them to become legal citizens took over fifty years due to two world wars and cultural animosity--but they taught their children to love, honor and respect America. Despite the
internment camps, my father and my uncle proudly went to combat to preserve our freedoms in WWII.When you steal something, you show you have no respect for the owner. That is what illegal immigrants are doing today, stealing from our country.
Current immigration laws may be flawed, but at a bare minimum we must enforce these laws to understand where corrections should be made. That doesn't necessarily mean we spend our money to deport 10-20 million illegals. It is far easier to "encourage"
the departure of those who are here illegally with prosecution and jail time for employers who hire them. Thus, slowing the flow inbound and hastening the flow outbound.
Stop the stealing. Recognize it for what it is and enforce the laws.
Source: 2014 New Hampshire Senate website, KarenTesterman.net
Dec 1, 2013
Karen Testerman:
Illegal immigrants over burden our public schools
Testerman spoke to the need to "secure our borders" and curb "illegal immigration. "Our schools
are overburdened with illegal immigrants, at least in California, where you can't even ask if students are legal or not," Testerman said. "You just have to provide them with education."
Source: Valley News on 2014 New Hampshire Senate debate
Nov 23, 2013
Mark Connolly:
Immigration is key to the state's economic growth
The Democratic [debate] featured Executive Councilor Colin Van Ostern and Mark Connolly, former director of the state bureau of securities regulation.
Both said they disagreed with Hassan's call to freeze immigration of Syrian refugees to the state. And in contrast to the Republican debate, both called immigration key to the state's economic growth.
Source: The Herald on 2016 New Hampshire Gubernatorial debate
Sep 6, 2016
Molly Kelly:
Strongly opposes Trump's immigration and border law changes
Our country and our state are stronger because of immigrants. But the Trump Administration is violating human rights and common sense by ripping children from their parents' arms at the southern border, failing to recognize legitimate asylum claims
and even seeking to deport Dreamers and people with legal permanent resident status. Trump has truly created a deportation force and given enforcement agents carte blanche to treat certain people as less than human.
Source: 2018 New Hampshire Governor campaign website MollyKelly.com
Oct 9, 2018
Scott Brown:
It's wrong that illegals can just walk across the border
Scott Brown knocks Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) for supporting "pro-amnesty policies" in his newest ad. In it, Brown speaks direct-to-camera about the fact that, while most Americans go through security for various activities, "folks who come here illegally,
they just walk across the border. That's wrong."He goes on to say that the "pro-amnesty policies of President Obama and Sen. Shaheen" have caused the crisis at the border: "We respond with compassion, but it is time for us to secure the border once
and for all, and tell people who try to come here illegally that we intend to enforce the law," Brown concludes.
It's Brown's most policy-focused ad yet--most of his previous ads have focused on an element of his personal narrative as well, as he
works to introduce himself to N.H. voters. And it touches on an issue that looks to be a winner for him both in the primary and the general election campaign: immigration reform and the ongoing crisis at the border.
Source: The Hill AdWatch on 2014 New Hampshire Senate race
Jul 28, 2014
Scott Brown:
The border is secure when people don't come across it
Sparks flew [at the Senate debate] on the topic of immigration and border security. "The border is secure when people don't come across it," Brown said to the applause of supporters after Todd asked him to define a secure border.
Shaheen attacked Brown's record on abortion rights; Brown, while senator for Massachusetts, supported the Blunt Amendment, which would have allowed any employer with moral objections to opt out of requiring to cover birth control in 2012.
Source: NECN-sponsored 2014 New Hampshire Senate debate
Oct 21, 2014
Steve Marchand:
Aggressively pursue pro-immigration policies
Q: How do you encourage young people to stay in N.H.?Marchand: We have to be the most inclusive state that we can be as it relates to immigration. The states that are getting the youngest are seeing the largest influx of immigrants. Some of the
rhetoric that has come from Republicans makes it more difficult for immigrants to see N.H. as a great place to come. That's a shame. If we're going to get younger and more entrepreneurial, [we should be] aggressively pursuing pro-immigration policies.
Source: N.H. Journal on 2018 New Hampshire gubernatorial race
Apr 24, 2017
Page last updated: Feb 18, 2023