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Thomas Perez on Immigration

 

 


As board president, grew local immigrant advocacy group

Tom also served as the Board President for CASA de Maryland, where he was able to grow the organization from a small, local organization to one of the largest immigrant advocacy organizations in the nation. Tom also served as a professor at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law teaching in the Law and Healthcare program from 2001 until 2007.
Source: 2021 Maryland Governor campaign website TomPerez.com , Jul 18, 2021

Guarantee healthcare to immigrants, regardless of status

Maryland should join the handful of other states that guarantee health care to hard-working immigrants, regardless of their status. During the pandemic, these front-line workers have cared for our sick, grown and prepared our food, and delivered goods to our doors. They are taxpayers, and they contribute to Social Security with every paycheck. Woven into the fabric of our community, our undocumented friends and neighbors should never be turned away when they get sick and need help.
Source: 2021 Maryland Governor campaign website TomPerez.com , Jul 18, 2021

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

Address immigration for economy, security, and morality

Perez, who previously served as Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department, [said he] was confident that Hillary Clinton would be able to address immigration reform in her first 100 days in office--as recently promised--because of its economic, national security, and moral implications. For Republicans, however, Perez cited a different incentive to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

"For Republicans after this November, there's a political imperative," Perez said. "Because if you want to be the permanent minority in the executive branch, keep saying stupid things that the Donald Trump's of the world are saying day in and day out."

Source: Fusion.net, "Perez replace Justice Scalia?" , Feb 23, 2016

Fixing broken system brings 11M workers out of shadows

Fixing our broken immigration system will go a long way toward addressing poverty. Bringing 11 million undocumented workers out of the shadows and on a path to citizenship will give them access to higher wages and greater economic opportunity. Comprehensive immigration reform isn't about so-called "amnesty" for some at the expense of everyone else. That's a false choice. In fact, it will strengthen the overall economy, increasing GDP, lowering the deficit, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship and contributing to the solvency of Social Security. It's a moral imperative and an economic imperative.
Source: Obama Cabinet: Half in Ten Anti-Poverty Report Release , Oct 29, 2013

Other governors on Immigration: Thomas Perez on other issues:
MD Gubernatorial:
Alec Ross
Ashwani Jain
Ben Jealous
Doug Gansler
John B. King
John Delaney
Kelly M. Schulz
Larry Hogan
Martin O`Malley
Maya Cummings
Peter Franchot
Richard Madaleno
Robert Ehrlich
Robin Ficker
Rushern Baker
Shawn Quinn
MD Senatorial:
Arvin Vohra
Benjamin Cardin
Chelsea Manning
Chris Van Hollen
Donna Edwards
Kathy Szeliga
Margaret Flowers
Michael Steele
Richard Douglas
Sam Faddis
Tony Campbell
Gubernatorial Debates 2021:
CA Recall:
S.D.Mayor Kevin_Faulconer(R)
vs.Former Gov. nominee John Cox(R)
vs.Former U.S.Rep Doug Ose(R)
vs.Laura Smith(R)
vs.Former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner(R)
vs.Radio Host Larry Elder(R)
NJ: Incumbent Phil Murphy(D)
vs.State Rep. Jack Ciattarelli(R)
vs.Candidate Hirsh Singh(R)
vs.GOP Chair Doug Steinhardt(R)
VA: Incumbent Ralph Northam(D,term-limited)
vs.Former Governor Terry McAuliffe(D)
vs.CEO Glenn Youngkin(R)
vs.A.G. Mark Herring(D)
vs.State Sen. Amanda Chase(I)
vs.Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax(D)
vs.State Rep. Jennifer Carroll Foy(D)
vs.State Rep. Lee Carter(D)
vs.State Sen. Jennifer McClellan(D)
vs.State Rep. Kirk Cox(R)
vs.CEO Pete Snyder(R)

Gubernatorial Debates 2022:
AK: Incumbent Mike Dunleavy(R)
vs.Bill Walker(? D)
vs.Al Gross(? I)
AL: Incumbent Kay Ivey(R)
vs.Chris Countryman(D)
AR: Incumbent Asa Hutchinson(R,term-limited)
vs.Trump Adviser Sarah Huckabee Sanders(R)
vs.A.G. Leslie Rutledge(R)
vs.Ricky Dale Harrington(L)
vs.Anthony Bland(D)
AZ: Incumbent Doug Ducey(R,term-limited)
vs.Paul Gosar(? R)
Mayor Marco Lopez(D)
vs.Former news anchor Kari Lake(R)
vs.Secretary of State Katie Hobbs(D)
vs.State Treasurer Kimberly Yee(R)
vs.U.S.Rep.Matt Salmon(R)
vs.Steve Gaynor(R)
vs.State Rep.Aaron Lieberman(D)
CA: Incumbent Gavin Newsom(D)
vs.S.D.Mayor Kevin_Faulconer(R)
vs.Former Gov. nominee John Cox(R)
vs.Antonio Villaraigosa(? D)
CO: Incumbent Jared Polis(D)
vs.Mayor Greg Lopez(R)
CT: Incumbent Ned Lamont(D)
vs.Bob Stefanowski(? R)
FL: Incumbent Ron DeSantis(R)
vs.Former Gov.Charlie Crist(D)
vs.Rep.Stephanie Murphy(? D)
vs.Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried(D)
GA: Incumbent Brian Kemp(R)
vs.Minority Leader Stacey Abrams(D)
vs.Senate candidate Shane Hazel(L)
vs.State Rep.Vernon Jones(R)
vs.2020 candidate Kandiss Taylor(R)
HI: Incumbent David Ige(D,term-limited)
vs.Marissa Kerns(R)
vs.Lt.Gov.Josh Green(D)
IA: Incumbent Kim Reynolds(R)
vs.Deidre DeJear(D)
vs.State Rep.Ras Smith(D)
ID: Incumbent Brad Little(R)
vs.Raul Labrador(R)
vs.Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin(R)
vs.Ammon Bundy(R)
IL: Incumbent J.B. Pritzker(D)
vs.State Sen.Darren Bailey(R)
KS: Incumbent Laura Kelly(D)
vs.Jeff Colyer(R)
vs.State Sen.Derek Schmidt(R) 		Gubernatorial Debates 2022 (continued):
MA: Incumbent Charlie Baker(R)
vs.Lt.Gov.Karyn Polito(R)
vs.State Rep. Geoff Diehl(R)
vs.Harvard Professor Danielle Allen(D)
vs.State Sen.Ben Downing(D)
vs.State Sen.Sonia Chang-Diaz(D)
MD: Incumbent Larry Hogan(R,term-limited)
vs.State Rep. Robin Ficker(R)
vs.State Rep. Peter Franchot(D)
vs.State Del.Kelly M. Schulz(R)
vs.Secretary John B. King(D)
vs.Obama administration Ashwani Jain(D)
vs.State attorney-general Doug Gansler(D)
vs.County executive Rushern Baker(D)
vs.Secretary Thomas Perez(D)
ME: Incumbent Janet Mills(D)
vs.Former Gov. Paul LePage(R)
MI: Incumbent Gretchen Whitmer(D)
vs.Chief James Craig(R)
vs.Police Chief Tudor Dixon(R)
MN: Incumbent Tim Walz(DFL)
vs.Mayor Mike Murphy(R)
vs.State Sen.Scott Jensen(R)
NE: Incumbent Pete Ricketts(R,term-limited)
vs.U.S.Senator Bob Krist(R)
vs.Chuck Herbster(R)
NH: Incumbent Chris Sununu(R)
vs.Dan Feltes(D)
vs.Kelly Ayotte(? R)
NM: Incumbent Michelle Lujan Grisham(D)
vs.Commissioner Jay Block(R)
vs.State Rep.Rebecca Dow(R)
NV: Incumbent Steve Sisolak(D)
vs.A.G.Adam Laxalt(R)
vs.U.S.Rep. Mark Amodei(? R)
vs.North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee(R)
NY: Incumbent Andrew Cuomo(D)
vs.Lt.Gov.Kathy Hochul(D)
vs.Rob Astorino(R)
vs.Andrew Giuliani(R)
vs.US.Rep.Lee Zeldin(R)
OH: Incumbent Mike DeWine(R)
vs.Former Rep.Jim Renacci(R)
vs.Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley(D)
vs.Mayor John Cranley(D)
OK: Incumbent Kevin Stitt(R)
vs.State Sen. Ervin Yen(R)
vs.Connie Johnson(D)
OR: Incumbent Kate Brown(D,term-limited)
vs.Gov. nominee Bud Pierce(R)
vs.Paul Romero(R)
vs.Casey Kulla(D)
vs.Kerry McQuisten(R)
PA: Incumbent Tom Wolf(D,term-limited)
vs.U.S.Rep. Lou Barletta(R)
vs.Commissioner Joe Gale(R)
vs.A.G.Josh Shapiro(D)
RI: Incumbent Gina Raimondo(D,to Cabinet)
vs.Gov. Dan McKee(D)
vs.Secy.Matt Brown(? D)
vs.Mayor Allan Fung(R)
vs.Luis-Daniel Munoz(D)
vs.RI Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea(D)
SC: Incumbent Henry McMaster(R)
vs.State Rep. James Emerson Smith(? D)
vs.US.Rep.Joe Cunningham(D)
vs.State senator Mia McLeod(D)
SD: Incumbent Kristi Noem(R)
vs.State Rep. Billie Sutton(? D)
TN: Incumbent Bill Lee(R)
vs.Senate nominee Marquita Bradshaw(? D)
vs.Carnita Atwater(D)
TX: Incumbent Greg Abbott(R)
vs.Chad Prather(R)
vs.State Sen.Don Huffines(R)
vs.U.S.Rep. Allen West(R)
vs.Deidre Gilbert(D)
VT: Incumbent Phil Scott(R)
(no prospective opponents yet)
WI: Incumbent Tony Evers(D)
vs.CEO Jonathan Wichmann(R)
WY: Incumbent Mark Gordon(R)
vs.Minority Leader Chris Rothfuss(? D)

Gubernatorial Debates 2023:
KY: Incumbent Andy Beshear(D)
vs.Former Gov. Matt Bevin(? R)

vs.Senator Rand Paul(? R)
vs.State Auditor Mark Harmon(R)
LA: Incumbent John Bel Edwards(D,term-limited)
vs.Biden Adviser Cedric Richmond(? D)
vs.Senator John Neely Kennedy(? R)
MS: Incumbent Tate Reeves(R)
vs.Bill Waller(R) 		Abortion
Budget/Economy
Civil Rights
Corporations
Crime
Drugs
Education
Energy/Oil
Environment
Families/Children
Foreign Policy
Free Trade
Govt. Reform
Gun Control
Health Care
Homeland Security
Immigration
Infrastructure/Technology
Jobs
Local Issues
Principles/Values
Social Security
Tax Reform
War/Iraq/Mideast
Welfare/Poverty

 





Page last updated: Aug 28, 2021