Rudy Giuliani on Immigration : Dec 9, 2007
End illegal immigration or we risk legal immigration

A: The first thing that has to be done is we have to end illegal immigration. If we don't end illegal immigration, we're really going to risk legal immigration. We should end illegal immigration at the border, because it can't be really dealt with internally. We should do it by having a fence, a technological fence, as well as a physical fence. It should be used to alert the Border Patrol of the people coming to the border, and we should stop people from coming in. Then we should have a tamper-proof ID card that everybody can get who wants to come into the US legally. When we accomplish that, when we have control of our borders, when we preserve the legality of immigration, we can then turn to the people that are here. The people that come forward can sign up. They can pay taxes, and then the people who don't, those people should be expelled from the US if they don't already leave.

Mike Huckabee on Immigration : Dec 9, 2007
Pathway to citizenship must start at back of line, out of US

A: I don't think there's an inconsistency. When I said a pathway, I didn't say what the pathway was. I now believe that the only thing the American people are going to accept--and, frankly, the only thing that really makes sense--is a pathway that sends people back to the starting point.

Q: That would take years.

A: No, I don't agree. Look, if we can get a credit card application done within hours, it shouldn't take years to get a work permit to come here and pick lettuce. So part of my plan is that we seal the borders. You don't have amnesty and sanctuary cities. You do have a pathway to get back here legally that would take days, maybe weeks, not years.

Rudy Giuliani on Immigration : Nov 28, 2007
BorderStat & virtual fence: just stop people from coming in

A: The federal policies weren't working, stopping people coming into the United States. If I were president of the United States, I could do something about that by deploying a fence, by deploying a virtual fence, by having a BorderStat system like my COMSTAT system that brought down crime in New York, and just stopping people from coming in, and then having a tamper-proof ID card.

Bill Richardson on Immigration : Nov 15, 2007
Allowed giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants

A: My answer is yes, and I did it. Because the Congress and Bush failed miserably to pass comprehensive immigration. My legislature sent me a bill. I signed it. My enforcement people said it's a matter of public safety. What we need is public safety, a reduction in traffic fatalities. When we started with this program, 33% of all New Mexicans were uninsured. Today, it's 11%.

Dennis Kucinich on Immigration : Nov 15, 2007
There aren't any illegal human beings

A: I take issue with your description of people being illegal immigrants. There aren't any illegal human beings. They are undocumented. The best way to deal with this is cancel NAFTA and renegotiate the trade agreement with Mexico. You give people a path to legalization and make sure that you don't criminalize their status any further. I take exception to the way you framed that question

Bill Richardson on Immigration : Nov 11, 2007
Driver's license for illegals helps public safety

A: Four years ago, the legislature sent a bill to me and, at the request of my law enforcement leaders, I signed it, which allows licenses for undocumented workers. The reason I did this is because there's a failure of an immigration law in the Congress and the president. It's a matter for us in New Mexico of public safety on the roads. At the time that I signed the bill, 33% of drivers were uninsured. Today it's 11% uninsured. This law has helped.

Q: Is there any security provision in the law, anything, that prevents illegals from using these driver's licenses that you give them to get on airplanes, like many of the 9/11 terrorists did?

A: There are valid certificates of identification that they have to provide to the motor vehicles department of New Mexico. I believe it's the right decision for my people. What we need is comprehensive immigration

John Cox on Immigration : Sep 17, 2007
Rescind Bush's order allowing Mexican trucks on US roads

• HUCKABEE: Yes.
• TANCREDO: Yes.
• COX: Yes.
• BROWNBACK: Yes.
• PAUL: Yes.
• HUNTER: Yes.
• KEYES: Yes.

Duncan Hunter on Immigration : Sep 17, 2007
Rescind Bush's order allowing Mexican trucks on US roads

• HUCKABEE: Yes.
• TANCREDO: Yes.
• COX: Yes.
• BROWNBACK: Yes.
• PAUL: Yes.
• HUNTER: Yes.
• KEYES: Yes.

Tom Tancredo on Immigration : Sep 17, 2007
Rescind Bush's order allowing Mexican trucks on US roads

• HUCKABEE: Yes.
• TANCREDO: Yes.
• COX: Yes.
• BROWNBACK: Yes.
• PAUL: Yes.
• HUNTER: Yes.
• KEYES: Yes.

Bill Richardson on Foreign Policy : Sep 9, 2007
Alliance with Latin America on microlending & human needs

A: For one, I would pay attention to Latin America if I'm president. This president does not. Number two, we've got to fix the immigration issue. That is central not just to Mexico but Central America. Number three, we've got to deal with the Cuba issue. What we need there is possibly start lifting the embargo but only after Fidel Castro releases political prisoners and their democratic freedoms. Then I would have a new alliance for progress with Latin America like John F. Kennedy that would improve contacts in renewable energy, and microlending, and human needs. I would try to associate myself, too, with democratic populist movements like that are taking place in Brazil, in Argentina, in Chile, but most importantly recognize that what happens in Latin America is key to America's future. A kid here in Miami has more contact and more opportunities in Latin America than anywhere else.

Barack Obama on Immigration : Sep 9, 2007
Reform must include more border security, and border wall

OBAMA: I have been a consistent champion of comprehensive immigration reform. And keep in mind that my father came to this country from a small village in Africa because he was looking for opportunity. And so when I see people who are coming across these borders, whether legally or illegally, I know that the motivation is trying to create a better life for their children and their grandchildren. So I was one of the leaders, along with several other senators, in passing comprehensive immigration reform. It failed in the House. That is going to involve some elements of border security because we've got to make our borders more secure. We can't just have hundreds of thousands of people coming into the country without knowing who they are.

Barack Obama on Foreign Policy : Sep 9, 2007
Invest in our relationship with Mexico

Hillary Clinton on Immigration : Sep 9, 2007
More border patrolling on both Mexican AND Canadian borders

A: I do favor much more border patrolling and much more technology on both of our borders, and in certain areas, even a physical barrier, because I think we've got to secure our borders. That has to be part of comprehensive immigration reform. I have championed comprehensive immigration reform, and it includes starting with securing our borders in order to give people the support they need to come over and support us when it comes to having a pathway to legalization. We all know that this has become a contentious political issue. We want to work in a bipartisan way to have comprehensive reform--employer verification, more help for local communities so that they can pay for schooling and hospital and other expenses that they have to bear because of the immigration crisis.

Bill Richardson on Immigration : Sep 9, 2007
Border wall is horrendous example of misguided policy

A: Yes, I would do it my first year. I want everybody to look at the Statue of Liberty. This symbolizes freedom, diversity, and that we're a nation of immigrants. This is what we need to do in immigration my first year.

1. Yes, more border security, technology at the border.
2. A stronger relationship with Mexico and Central America, to create jobs so that flow doesn't come here.
3. Enforce the law. Those that knowingly hire illegal workers should be punished.
4. But what is fundamental is a path to legalization, a path to citizenship for the 12 million that are in this country that just want to make life better for the families.
5. This wall is a horrendous example of Washington misguided policy. Congress only funded half of the wall. And in addition that, if you're going to build a 12-foot wall, you know what's going to happen? A lot of 13-foot ladders. This is a terrible symbol of America.

Dennis Kucinich on Immigration : Sep 9, 2007
Build relationships between nations, not walls

A: First of all, a Kucinich administration will build relationships between nations, not walls. We need to move forward with an America that remembers where we came from, and immigration reform has to be central to it. That means there must be a path to legalization, because there are no illegal human beings. We have to start looking at our policies, which are aimed at separating people. Everyone here understands that the immigration acceleration occurred after the passage of NAFTA. I've said one of my first acts in office will be to cancel NAFTA and the WTO and go back to trade based on workers' rights. And then we have a new trade agreement with Mexico, a trade agreement that strengthens America and Mexico and strengthens the rights of workers to organize and collectively bargain.

Chris Dodd on Immigration : Sep 9, 2007
Mexico is a neighbor and ally, but supported border wall

A: Obviously, any debate about immigration has to include security here. The American people feel strongly about it. But I would argue that while there may be a place periodically to have security along that border that include some fence, it's also important that we understand the underlying reason why people emigrate, and we're not focusing enough attention on that. We need to be dealing with our neighbor, Mexico, far more cooperatively. For 26 years, I've co-chaired the interparliamentary meeting with Mexico. This is an ally, this is a friend, this is a neighbor. We need to have trading agreements and economic agreements that can lift people up, with working conditions that would allow them to live in their countries not have to emigrate to this country.

Mike Gravel on Immigration : Sep 6, 2007
I'm ashamed that we're building a fence on southern border

Duncan Hunter on Immigration : Sep 5, 2007
FactCheck: Only 9 miles of fence in San Diego after 11 years

Duncan Hunter on Immigration : Sep 5, 2007
Complete fence, despite difficulties, because it's the law

Here's what we tell them: It's the law. And you know, I built that border fence in San Diego. And it's really two fences. It's a double fence. It's not that scraggly little fence that they keep showing on CNN with people hopping over it. If you get over my fence, we sign you up for the Olympics immediately. Now, that fence is a double fence with a road in between, and it reduced the smuggling of people and drugs in San Diego by 90%. And that's the reason I wrote the law that extends it 854 miles across Arizona, New Mexico & Texas. They've only done 17.9 miles. As president, I will complete all 854 miles in six months. That's my commitment. It's the law.

Rudy Giuliani on Immigration : Aug 20, 2007
AdWatch: New citizens must read, write, & speak English

GIULIANI: People that come in illegally we gotta stop. You stop illegal immigration by building a fence, a physical fence and then a technological fence. You then hire enough Border Patrol so they can respond in a timely way. And then, if anybody becomes a citizen, we should make certain that they can read English, write English and speak English, because this is an English speaking country.

Dennis Kucinich on Immigration : Jun 20, 2007
Stop blaming immigrants for our system of slave labor

It is a blot on American history that we have maintained a system of slave labor, and now we're blaming the immigrants for that. We can have sane immigration policies. But we have to stop blaming the victim.

We have to also make sure that we do not exclude people from an opportunity. Those who have been here, who have paid their taxes and paid their dues for the last decade need to have a chance to have a path to citizenship. They should not be told, after they've made their contribution to our economy, "No, we don't want you anymore; go home," because America is their new home.

Bill Richardson on Immigration : Jun 10, 2007
A wall on Mexican border is not America

But right now, this is one of the most pressing domestic issues because it divides this country. It has 12 million people living under the shadows.

Bill Richardson on Immigration : Jun 10, 2007
Comprehensive reform needed; but McCain-Kennedy bill flawed

A: No, I'm not happy, because I wanted them to push comprehensive legislation and fix the main problems. And the main problems were a fence between Mexico and the US, which I think is not sustainable. Secondly, they had an amendment that broke up families; third, a lack of labor protections when it came to the guest worker program. It makes sense to have comprehensive legislation, but they have to fix that main provision, the flaw in the bill that breaks up families. That's not been the standards in our immigration laws in the past.

Q: And if they revise that, would you support this compromise?

A: Yes, I would. If they take care of the not dividing up families, if they get rid of some of those provisions relating to the wall, look at this wall, dividing two countries up.

Fred Thompson on Immigration : Jun 3, 2007
Opposes amnesty in any form

Joe Biden on Immigration : Jun 3, 2007
Voted for border fence, but to tackle drug trafficking

Barack Obama on Immigration : Jun 3, 2007
Do a better job patrolling the Canadian and Mexican borders

Ron Paul on Immigration : Jun 3, 2007
No amnesty, but border fence isn't so important

PAUL: No. The fence was my weakest reason for voting for that, but enforcing the law was important, and border security is important. And we've talked about amnesty, which I'm positively opposed to. If you subsidize something, you get more of it. We subsidize illegal immigration, we reward it by easy citizenship, either birthright or amnesty.

Joe Biden on Immigration : Jun 3, 2007
It's impractical to deport 14 million illegal immigrants

Bill Richardson on Immigration : May 27, 2007
Border fence hasn't worked; border patrols & tech have

A: No, it hasn't worked. This wall is a terrible symbol between two countries that are friends. If we have a 10-foot wall, there'll be 11-foot ladders going over that wall.

Q: Anywhere along the border, the fence hasn't worked?

A: It hasn't worked. What has worked is more border patrols. What has worked is some National Guardsmen. What has worked is some technology. It's made the program better. But we've got to talk to Mexico, our friend, get them to do more. In fact, get them to stop giving maps to illegal workers on the most porous areas. And we also need to raise the legal immigration limits, the backlogs of workers that we need--H1B visas for job competitiveness skills.

Q: In New Mexico, you declared a border emergency, and yet you're against the fence. It seems as if you're on both sides of the issue.

A: I'm a governor. I have to deal with this issue every day.

John Cox on Immigration : May 21, 2007
We need to seal our borders, but don't bash immigrants

John McCain on Immigration : May 15, 2007
America expects us to work on immigration together

TANCREDO: I do. He sponsored a bill that would have given amnesty to everybody who's here illegally. It would have required us to actually consult with Mexico as to whether or not we would build the fence along our southern border. If we pursue this path toward amnesty, it's a disaster for the country.

McCAIN: I have never supported amnesty and never would. But the American people expect us to sit down and work this issue out together. That's what I've been doing for a couple of years now. We are very close to an agreement, led by our president and his Cabinet, that will first secure our borders. Then we would have a temporary worker program that could only be valid through a tamper-proof biometric document. And then we would address the issue of the 12 million people who are already here.

ROMNEY: The key part of what I objected to in McCain-Kennedy is that they should not get any advantage by having come here illegally.

Duncan Hunter on Immigration : May 15, 2007
This administration has "the slows" on border enforcement

Tom Tancredo on Immigration : May 15, 2007
McCain's plan is soft on immigration & amnesty

TANCREDO: I do. He sponsored a bill that would have given amnesty to everybody who's here illegally. It would have required us to actually consult with Mexico as to whether or not we would build the fence along our southern border. If we pursue this path toward amnesty, it's a disaster for the country.

McCAIN: I have never supported amnesty and never would. But the American people expect us to sit down and work this issue out together. That's what I've been doing for a couple of years now. We are very close to an agreement, led by our president and his Cabinet, that will first secure our borders. Then we would have a temporary worker program that could only be valid through a tamper-proof biometric document. And then we would address the issue of the 12 million people who are already here.

ROMNEY: The key part of what I objected to in McCain-Kennedy is that they should not get any advantage by having come here illegally.

Duncan Hunter on Immigration : May 3, 2007
FactCheck: 854-mile fence shifted crime more than cutting it

San Diego's 14-mile fence was supposed to cost $14 million, but the DHS estimates that by the time it's finished it will have cost $127 million to build. Litigation by environmentalists over the feds' proposal to pour 5.5 million cubic feet of dirt into a valley to flatten the terrain caused major construction delays.

Overall apprehensions in the San Diego sector declined by 76% after the fence was begun. Meanwhile, however, apprehensions increased in others sectors further east, most notably a 591% increase in the Tucson sector between 1992 and 2004.

Duncan Hunter on Immigration : May 3, 2007
I built the 854-mile border fence and it cut down crime

A: You know, it's a way to win, but we need to win the right way. In my town of San Diego, we build the border fence. When we built that fence, we had a border out of control, and we built that fence. And it's a double fence. It's not that little scraggly fence you see on CNN with everybody getting over it. We had massive murders on the border, massive illegal immigration, massive importation of drugs. I built that border fence. We brought down the smuggling of people and narcotics by more than 90%. I wrote that law that extends the San Diego fence for 854 miles across AZ, NM, & TX. One way to bring down crime in every state is to have an enforceable border. That means let's build that border fence. When people want to come into this country, let's ask them to knock on the front door.

Fred Thompson on Immigration : Apr 13, 2007
Nation loses sovereignty if it cannot secure its own borders

We know that the overwhelming majority of illegals come across the Mexican border. Fortunately, we've got someone who is all too willing to tell us what we should do about it -- president Calderon of Mexico.

Pres. Calderon criticizes our efforts to secure the border with things such as border fencing. He apparently thinks we should do nothing except make American citizens out of his constituents.

I think its time for a little plain talk to the leaders of Mexico. Something like: Hey guys, you're our friends and neighbors and we love you but it's time you had a little dose of reality. A sovereign nation loses that status if it cannot secure its own borders and we are going to do whatever is necessary to do so.

Sam Brownback on Immigration : Mar 14, 2007
Increase legal immigrants & build a fence on Mexican border

We've got to not only secure our border, but we also need to increase the number of legal immigrants, or we'll continue to push people into an illegal system. We allow in 50,000 legal agricultural workers each year. The marketplace demands 500,000. What do you think is going to happen in that type of a system?

We need to focus on the criminal element and the terrorist element. And if people want to legitimately work, let's supply a simpler system to let them. We've got to secure that border.

Bill Richardson on Immigration : Nov 7, 2006
Path to legalization if illegals pay taxes & learn English

Bill Richardson on Immigration : Nov 7, 2006
Declared state of emergency on Mexican border

Mike Gravel on Immigration : Jun 27, 2006
Illegal immigrants come here for jobs; don't deport them

Tom Tancredo on Immigration : Jun 6, 2006
Supports employer verification in 2005 reform bill

In debunking these sensible reform measures, the Wall Street Journal resorted to "the sky is falling" arguments: "Tancredo has done everyone a favor by stating plainly the immigration rejectionists' endgame--turn the US into the world's largest gated community."

Tom Tancredo on Immigration : Jun 6, 2006
Deploy military troops to support Border Patrol

We have the technology and resources to secure our borders tomorrow. It is a canard for politicians to say it's impossible. What they are really saying is: I choose not to defend and secure our borders because there are political ramifications that I fear. It is those fears that put the life of every American in mortal danger.

Tom Tancredo on Immigration : Jun 6, 2006
Erect fence along entire Mexican & Canadian borders

But I cannot pretend that a border-length fence will completely eliminate illegal immigration. Still, a fence will go a long way toward accomplishing that goal.

Tom Tancredo on Immigration : Jun 6, 2006
End "catch & release" along Mexican border

Begin Building a Border Security Fence
• Put troops on the border
• End "catch and release"
• Mandate passport usage for everyone traveling internationally
• Suspend visa waiver program

Enforcing the Law Throughout the Country
• Restrict illegal alien sanctuary policies
• Disallow religious organizations from harboring illegal aliens
• Make DUI a deportable offense
• Increase penalties for the smuggling of illegal aliens
• Increase penalties for terrorists who are illegal aliens
• Increase penalties for gang members who are illegal aliens
• Make unlawful presence in the US a felony

Stopping Businesses from Hiring Illegals
• Make employment verification mandatory
• Eliminate the business tax write-off for illegal workers
• Increase the penalty for employers who hire illegal aliens
• Make businesses that hire illegal aliens ineligible for future guest workers

Tom Tancredo on Immigration : Jun 6, 2006
Anchor babies: pregnant Mexicans give birth to US citizens

A little-discussed constitutional provision actually allows all of this to happen legally through what's called birthright citizenship. Though the provision was not authored with the intent of granting automatic citizenship to children of persons in the country illegally, courts throughout the years have held that it does.

The 14th Amendment starts, "All persons born or naturalized in the US... are citizens of the US." Written in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, the law's intent was to prevent states from denying citizenship to newly freed slaves.

The loophole has become well known. The children born to illegal aliens are called "anchor babies" because once they are born in the US, they serve as an anchor to keep themselves & their families firmly (and legally) in the country.

Tom Tancredo on Immigration : Jun 6, 2006
Disallow Mexican "matricula" cards as valid ID cards

The only reason a Mexican citizen would need a matricula consular card from the Mexican Embassy is if they are in this country illegally. The cards are easy to fabricate. Authorities have arrested an Iranian national with a Mexican matricul consular card in his own name.

But the State Dept. views it more "diplomatically." In 2005, a State Department official said that while State does not defend the use of the cards, it is concerned that limitations on the cards would provide retaliation from other countries.

Mexican consulates have issued 1.2 million cards & say cards are only issued to citizens who appear in person with acceptable ID. Sometimes applicants need only convince issuing officers that they are who they say they are.

John Edwards on Immigration : Jan 25, 2004
Roadmap to citizenship for undocumented immigrants

A: We should reform the immigration system so there is a clear road map to legalization and citizenship for undocumented immigrants who work hard and follow the law. At the same time, we should work with our ally, Mexico, to better control the border and stop illegal trafficking.

Dennis Kucinich on Immigration : Jan 25, 2004
Roadmap to citizenship for immigrants

A: Yes. I will clear out the backlog in the naturalization process and offer immigrants a clear road map to citizenship. I will work with our partners in Mexico to normalize the flow of immigrants by forging an agreement on migration.

John Edwards on Immigration : Jan 11, 2004
Differentiate terrorists from the immigrants

A: The whole notion of earned citizenship is something that I strongly support. I would expand the number of legal immigrants that can get into the country, which helps relieve some of this pressure that we have right now. Our relationship with Mexico and Pres. Fox is in the worst shape that we can imagine. And the result of that is, we don't have the kind of security along our southern border that we need.