State of Nevada Archives: on Immigration
Adam Laxalt:
Stop illegal immigration & stop sanctuary states
Laxalt, the grandson of former Sen. Paul Laxalt, joined several other state attorneys general in a letter seeking to stop illegal immigration and prevent states like Nevada from becoming a "sanctuary state."
Source: Los Angeles Times on 2018 Nevada gubernatorial race
Nov 1, 2017
Adam Laxalt:
Don't expand DACA to cover parents of DREAMer kids
Q: Support DACA, allowing "Dreamers" who arrived illegally as children, then grew up in the US, to achieve legal status if meet certain conditions?Adam Laxalt (R): Unclear. In 2015, joined lawsuit challenging expansion to cover parents of
DACA kids, though didn't join anti-DACA suit.
Steve Sisolak (D): Yes. "Protect these young people who want nothing more than to be accepted by the only country they've ever known."
Q: Immigration: Support path to citizenship for America's 11 million illegal immigrants?
Adam Laxalt (R): No specific position.
Hopes DC representatives "can compromise on solutions that secure our border and take all situations into account."
Steve Sisolak (D): Yes. "Create a workable pathway to citizenship for law-abiding immigrants."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Nevada Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
Amy Klobuchar:
Defeat Trump and pass immigration reform
The best way to protect the Dreamers is to have a new president. There are the votes there to protect the Dreamers. The Dreamers are our future. The Dreamers are so important in Nevada. And the best way we can get this done is to pass
comprehensive immigration reform, which creates a path to citizenship to so many hard-working people, will bring down the deficit by $158 billion, and will bring peace for these Dreamers.
Source: 9th Democrat 2020 primary debate, in Las Vegas Nevada
Feb 19, 2020
Barack Obama:
Comprehensive solution includes employers & borders
What we have to do is create a comprehensive solution to the problem. As president I will make sure that we finally have the kind of border security that we need. Employers have to be held accountable. When we do those things, we can take the illegal
aliens who are here, get them out of the shadows, make sure that they are subject to a stiff penalty, make sure that they’re learning English and go to the back of the line so they’re not getting an advantage over people who came here legally.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate in Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov 15, 2007
Barack Obama:
Undocumented workers come here to work, not to drive
When I was a state senator in Illinois, I voted to require that illegal aliens get trained, get a license, get insurance to protect public safety. That was my intention. The problem we have here is not driver’s licenses. Undocumented workers do not come
here to drive. They’re here to work. Instead of being distracting by what has now become a wedge issue, let’s focus on actually solving the problem that this administration, the Bush administration, had done nothing about it.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate in Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov 15, 2007
Barack Obama:
Support granting driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants
Q: In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, do you support driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants? A: Yes.
I am going to be fighting for comprehensive immigration reform, and we shouldn’t pose the question that, somehow, we can’t achieve that. The American people desperately want it; that’s what I’m going to be fighting for as president.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate in Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov 15, 2007
Bill Richardson:
Allowed giving driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants
Q: In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, do you support driver’s licenses for 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%.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate in Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov 15, 2007
Bob Beers:
Secure the borders before changing immigration policy
Hillary Clinton outlined her stance on immigration reforming, favoring a path to citizenship for undocumented workers. Beers doesn't disagree with the idea but says the first step is securing the border first. "You can't have
meaningful immigration policy without a secure border that's just a given and we don't have a secure border yet," Beers said. "It doesn't seem humane to deport them and leave their minor children here."
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal coverage of 2016 Nevada Senate race
May 6, 2015
Brian Dahle:
Opposes sanctuary state status
Dahle said he and his opponent agree on much.
They're both Republicans. They both oppose sanctuary state status.
Source: The Union (Nevada County) on 2022 California Governor race
May 9, 2019
Catherine Cortez Masto:
Joined on bill to reverse funding diverted for border wall
Cortez Masto joined other Senators to introduce the Restoring Military Priorities Act of 2020. The bill would reverse and restore the Department of Defense's (DoD) recent short-sighted and dangerous transfer of $3.8 billion to be used to build part of
President Donald Trump's ineffective border wall. The bill also reduces DoD's transfer authority so that DoD cannot try to divert additional funding for the wall.
Source: Senate press release for 2022 Nevada Senate race
Feb 27, 2020
Catherine Cortez Masto:
On asylum: compassion, justice, rule of law
Jeff Sessions wants to restore to America the "sound principles of asylum" and long-standing tenets of immigration law. "Asylum was never meant to alleviate all problems--even all serious problems--that people face every day all over the world,"
reasoned Sessions.U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Democrat from the state of Nevada: "Attorney General Sessions continues to betray every American value of compassion, justice and respect for the rule of law. This is not who America is."
Source: WorldNetDaily e-zine on 2022 Nevada Senate race
Jun 14, 2018
Chris Dodd:
Oppose granting driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants
Q: In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, do you support driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants?
A: No, drivers’ licenses are the wrong thing to be doing, in terms of attracting people to come here as undocumented.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate in Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov 15, 2007
Dan Schwartz:
Empathy for DACA targets, wants them part of immigration law
The day before the Trump Administration announced it would phase out DACA, Schwartz said he felt for the plight of young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. "I'm sympathetic. I mean, who wouldn't be sympathetic to some child who was
brought here and who has lived here and made a life for themselves," he said. He faulted Congress for not dealing with immigration earlier. "I think Congress should come out with an immigration law, and DACA should be part of it" he said.
Source: Nevada Independent on 2018 Nevada Gubernatorial race
Sep 6, 2017
Danny Tarkanian:
Reform legal immigration; but BLOCK illegal immigration
The most dishonest argument in the immigration reform debate is the habit of "open borders" advocates to mix legal immigration with ILLEGAL immigration. There's a huge difference. We do need some reforms to our legal immigration system, but we need to
BLOCK illegal immigration.We also need to deport illegal immigrants who commit additional illegal acts while in our country illegally IMMEDIATELY. And you don't discourage wrong-doing by rewarding wrong-doing with citizenship.
Yet that is exactly the position Sen. Heller has taken. Heller said, "We have 14 to 15 million people that are here in this country (illegally) and there ought to be some way to devise a pathway that they can get their citizenship."
There's already a
legal pathway to citizenship. People who are in our country illegally who wish to become American citizens should return to their native country and get in line like everyone else. It is wrong, unfair and counter-productive to "devise" any other pathway.
Source: 2018 Nevada Senate campaign website DannyTarkanian.com
Feb 3, 2018
Danny Tarkanian:
Oppose sanctuary cities; support official English
- I support building "the wall"
- I oppose birthright citizenship
- I oppose "chain immigration"
- I support e-Verify
- I oppose sanctuary cities
-
I oppose driver's licenses for illegal aliens
- I oppose welfare benefits for illegal aliens
- I support making English our official language
Source: 2018 Nevada Senate campaign website DannyTarkanian.com
Feb 3, 2018
Dean Heller:
Overhaul 14th Amendment against immigrant citizenship
Sen. Dean Heller and Rep. Joe Heck met with Hispanics in a sort of tough love session. The two Nevada Republicans affirmed to the group, called Hispanics in Politics, that the GOP needed Latino support in November.
But they remained steadfast in their hard-line stance on immigration.Not only did they tell the Hispanic group that they remained opposed to the
DREAM Act, a federal proposal that would provide a pathway to citizenship for certain undocumented college students and soldiers, they said the 14th Amendment to U.S. Constitution--which provides citizenship to anyone born in the
United States--needed overhauling to prevent the children of undocumented immigrants from gaining citizenship.
Source: Carlos Sanchez, VOXXI, on 2012 Nevada Senate debate
Apr 10, 2012
Dean Heller:
Pathway to citizenship for illegals in army or college
On immigration, Heller said he's willing to work with Democrats for comprehensive reform.He said he supported a pathway to citizenship for those who came here illegally and served in the military or are getting an education.
He said he also supports efforts to push English-only legislation and making it easier to immigrate to the country legally. "So the principles that
I'm trying to support is trying to make these people succeed," he said. "I want them to succeed here in this country."
Democrats pounced on his reference to "these people," setting up a conference call with Latino leaders for the next morning; Latino leaders said they were insulted.
Source: Las Vegas Sun on 2012 Nevada Senate debates
Oct 11, 2012
Dean Heller:
DREAM Act is a backdoor amnesty program
Q: Support DACA, allowing "Dreamers" who arrived illegally as children, then grew up in the US, to achieve legal status if meet certain conditions?Dean Heller (R): Mixed positions. Called original
DREAM Act a "backdoor amnesty" program, and voted against. Supported a recent DACA extension. Opposed recent bill with path to citizenship, though open to the concept, depending on specifics.
Jacky Rosen (D): Yes. Co-sponsored DREAM Act. Also general earned path to citizenship "for law-abiding undocumented immigrants who are
playing by the rules and contributing to our economy." So potential earned path for more than just DACA recipients.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Nevada Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
Dennis Kucinich:
There aren’t any illegal human beings
Q: In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, do you support driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants?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
Source: 2007 Democratic debate in Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov 15, 2007
Eric Greitens:
Gave examples of Muslim immigration that has been positive
Two members of the audience expressed the view that the Koran teaches that all lax Muslims and non-Muslims are heretics and unbelievers that should be put to death.
Instead of endorsing a ban on admitting Muslims, the candidate gave examples of Muslim immigration that has been positive. "In the aftermath of the war in Bosnia,
I participated in relief efforts over there and got to know Muslims and Christians," began Greitens. "Which leads me to ask this question. Outside of Bosnia, where is the greatest concentration of Bosnians? Answer, south St. Louis.
Some are Christian and some practice Islam." "Some 70,000 Bosnian refugees came and they have revitalized parts of south St. Louis city and county bringing an entrepreneurial spirit that creates jobs," explained Greitens.
Source: Nevada Daily Mail on 2016 Missouri governor race
Jul 20, 2016
Harry Reid:
We need comprehensive reform
The candidates also differed on immigration, with Reid calling for "comprehensive reform" and Angle condemning his opposition to
Arizona's controversial immigration legislation that was passed earlier this year."What we have here is an illegal alien problem and the solution is simple: secure the borders, enforce the laws," Angle said. "We should be supporting Arizona."
Source: CBS News coverage of 2010 Nevada Senate debate
Oct 15, 2010
Hillary Clinton:
Oppose granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants
Q: In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, do you support driver's licenses for illegal immigrants?
A: No.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate in Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov 15, 2007
Jack Carter:
Get a pathway to citizenship and end political football
Q: You opposed the immigration bill. John McCain said that your amendment "would prevent lawfully present immigrant workers from collection Social Security benefits." Why is McCain wrong?ENSIGN: John McCain is wrong and anyone else who voted against
that amendment is wrong because we have people who are here illegally, who stole the identities of American citizens. The Senate bill would not only allow people who stole social security numbers to be forgiven of felonies, but they would be allowed to
collect past Social Security benefits. To me that was wrong and that's why I offered that Amendment.
CARTER: Immigration has become a political football. I'm a businessman.
I want to have a solution to this problem instead of rolling it over. We need to get a pathway to citizenship and making sure they pay some sort of fine and then going through. This can be done in one year if we face the ting in a direct way.
Source: Nevada 2006 Senate Debate, at KLAS (X-ref Ensign)
Oct 15, 2006
Jacky Rosen:
Comprehensive reform with earned pathway to citizenship
Jacky Rosen supports comprehensive immigration reform with an earned pathway to citizenship.
Only through comprehensive reform can we secure our borders, find and deport criminals, and bring millions of undocumented immigrants out of the shadows and into our economy.
Passing immigration reform legislation would create thousands of jobs in Nevada, grow our local economy and improve the finances of programs like Social Security.
Jacky will fight for immigration reform that stays true to our American values and maintains America's position as a beacon of liberty, hope, and opportunity across the world.
Source: 2016 Nevada House campaign website RosenForNevada.com
Nov 8, 2016
Jacky Rosen:
Supports DREAMers & earned path to citizenship
Q: Support DACA, allowing "Dreamers" who arrived illegally as children, then grew up in the US, to achieve legal status if meet certain conditions?Dean Heller (R): Mixed positions. Called original
DREAM Act a "backdoor amnesty" program, and voted against. Supported a recent DACA extension. Opposed recent bill with path to citizenship, though open to the concept, depending on specifics.
Jacky Rosen (D): Yes. Co-sponsored DREAM Act. Also general earned path to citizenship "for law-abiding undocumented immigrants who are
playing by the rules and contributing to our economy." So potential earned path for more than just DACA recipients.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Nevada Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
James Vandermaas:
Expedite asylum requests, implement DACA, re-task ICE
We must:- Get the children and other immigrants out of the cages and process them quickly,
- Expedite all requests for asylum,
-
Implement DACA--ASAP
- Re-task ICE to its original mission
Source: 2022 Nevada Senate campaign website VoteVandermaas.com
Dec 9, 2021
Joe Biden:
Oppose granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants
Q: In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, do you support driver's licenses for illegal immigrants?
A: No.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate in Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov 15, 2007
Joe Heck:
Opposed resolution celebrating contributions of immigrants
Joe Heck chose not to sponsor ACR 24 (30 out of 63 legislators did):"The Nevada Legislature recognizes the great contributions that immigrants have made to the vitality and growth of Nevada and America
and urges the residents of Nevada to celebrate the ethnic and cultural diversity of its people and their traditions which have added to Nevada's wealth of great music, art, education, science and intellect."
Source: NCSL Immigration Report: 2009 Nevada voting records: ACR 24
Mar 31, 2009
Joe Heck:
No blanket amnesty but earned citizenship ok
Q: On Immigration: Should America's 11 million undocumented residents have an earned path to citizenship?Heck: Opposes blanket amnesty but open to some earned citizenship proposals.
Cortez Masto: Yes
Q: On Immigration: Support the DREAM Act, which would allow children brought into the country illegally to achieve legal status if they meet certain conditions?
(Need to have graduated from high school, have a clean legal record, and attend college or serve in the military.)
Heck: Opposed DREAM Act but offered similar alternative bill.
Cortez Masto: Yes
Source: CampusElect Voter Guide to 2016 Nevada Senate race
Oct 9, 2016
Joe Lombardo:
Defend our borders; oppose sanctuary cities
Joe Lombardo believes in protecting and defending America's borders. As the only candidate in this race to have put bad guys behind bars or deported violent criminals, Joe is opposed to sanctuary cities and will
continue to do everything possible to keep us safe, and he isn't afraid to take on the left-wing advocates constantly trying to make that more difficult.
Source: 2021 Nevada Governor campaign website JoeLombardoForNV.com
Oct 21, 2021
Joe Lombardo:
Got creative to get around court order on illegal immigrants
Lombardo is touting his development of an internal system to identify and report undocumented persons in Clark County after a judge in 2019 ruled that federal immigration officials violated the Fourth Amendment. After suspending the 287(g) program,
Lombardo decided that he could not ignore a court order but could "get creative and improvise as Sheriff" and find other ways "of getting these violent criminals off our streets," according to his site.
Source: Las Vegas Sun on 2022 Nevada Gubernatorial race
Oct 20, 2021
Joe Lombardo:
Welcome refugees so long as they're properly vetted
He supports welcoming refugees as long as they are properly vetted. "It's very important that we ensure that bad actors are not landing on our soil and intending to create harm into the future," Lombardo said. "I don't have a lot of confidence in the
current situation of Afghani refugees, and the vetting of those individuals, because we've already experienced, even in the state of Nevada, some of those individuals coming into the state and committing crimes."
Source: The Nevada Independent on 2022 Nevada Gubernatorial race
Mar 30, 2022
John Edwards:
Oppose granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants
Q: In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, do you support driver's licenses for illegal immigrants? A: No, but I don't accept the proposition that we're not going to have comprehensive immigration reform. What I do support, and what
I will do as president of the US, is move this country toward comprehensive immigration reform. And anyone who's on the path to earning American citizenship should be able to have a driver's license.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate in Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov 15, 2007
John Ensign:
Don't forgive illegals of felonies nor pay them benefits
Q: You opposed the immigration bill. John McCain said that your amendment "would prevent lawfully present immigrant workers from collection Social Security benefits." Why is McCain wrong?ENSIGN: John McCain is wrong and anyone else who voted against
that amendment is wrong because we have people who are here illegally, who stole the identities of American citizens. The Senate bill would not only allow people who stole social security numbers to be forgiven of felonies, but they would be allowed to
collect past Social Security benefits. To me that was wrong and that's why I offered that Amendment.
CARTER: Immigration has become a political football. I'm a businessman.
I want to have a solution to this problem instead of rolling it over. We need to get a pathway to citizenship and making sure they pay some sort of fine and then going through. This can be done in one year if we face the ting in a direct way.
Source: Nevada 2006 Senate Debate, at KLAS in Las Vegas
Oct 15, 2006
John Jay Lee:
Co-sponsored celebrating contributions of immigrants
John Lee voted YES on ACR 24 and co-sponsored bill (30 out of 63 legislators did):"The Nevada Legislature recognizes the great contributions that immigrants have made to the vitality and growth of Nevada and America and urges the residents of
Nevada to celebrate the ethnic and cultural diversity of its people and their traditions which have added to Nevada's wealth of great music, art, education, science and intellect."
Source: NCSL Immigration Report: 2009 Nevada voting records: ACR 24
Mar 31, 2009
Ruben Kihuen:
Families immigrate to America seeking the American dream
When I was 8 years old, my parents made a risky and courageous decision to move their young family from Mexico to the United States.
Without a dollar between them, they set out for America, where the promise of well-paying jobs, a good education and home ownership were available to all those willing to work hard and play by the rules. They sought and achieved the American dream.
Today Nevadans from all walks of life see the reality of that American dream slipping away. My proposals to put people before profits.
These policies will ensure that ALL Nevadans have the opportunities my family and I enjoyed for generations to come.
Source: 2016 Nevada House campaign website RubenForCongress.com
Nov 8, 2016
Ruben Kihuen:
Pass comprehensive reform with clear pathway to citizenship
Donald Trump wants to deport 11 million hardworking people. Worst than his unrealistic policy proposals is how he and his fellow Republicans talk about immigrants in this country.Ironically, my family and I, who immigrated to this country when
I was 8, are only here because of Ronald Reagan's immigration reform of 1986. President Reagan understood that when you give hardworking immigrants a chance, they contribute to our economy and help make this country the greatest in the world.
It's time to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
There are a lot of specific proposals that can go into CIR and many should be worked out in a bipartisan debate on the House and Senate floors but let me be clear about the one, non-negotiable
element of CIR: a pathway to citizenship.
Without a clear pathway to citizenship for those currently in the country and a reformed system for new immigrants to achieve citizenship, it simply cannot be called comprehensive and won't get my vote. Period.
Source: 2016 Nevada House campaign website RubenForCongress.com
Nov 8, 2016
Sharron Angle:
Solution is simple: secure the borders, enforce the laws
The candidates also differed on immigration, with Reid calling for "comprehensive reform" and Angle condemning his opposition to
Arizona's controversial immigration legislation that was passed earlier this year."What we have here is an illegal alien problem and the solution is simple: secure the borders, enforce the laws," Angle said. "We should be supporting Arizona."
Source: CBS News coverage of 2010 Nevada Senate debate
Oct 15, 2010
Steve Sisolak:
Not a sanctuary county; we are in compliance with ICE
Confirming what local officials have claimed for months, the Department of Justice has found no evidence that Clark County is failing to comply with federal immigration authorities. "This validates what the sheriff and I have been saying the
entire time--that everything we've done has been in compliance," County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak said. "I appreciate the fact that the DOJ has agreed with our interpretation."
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal on 2018 Nevada Gubernatorial race
Aug 4, 2017
Steve Sisolak:
Double headline - Already Done
[Steve Sisolak TV ad airing in Reno and Las Vegas]:[Caption: Steve Sisolak, chairman, Clark County Commission]
[Steve Sisolak addressing camera]: I've taken on bullies my whole life. Never backed down. Never backed away.
When you see somebody getting hurt, you have to stand up.
Donald Trump hurts Nevada families. He wants to take healthcare away from 200,000 Nevadans.
[Photo: Trump with CNN Headline: "Trump expected to end program protecting Dreamers"]:
He wants to break up families by deporting the DREAMers.
[Photo: Protest march with banner, "Fight for DACA and immigrants"]: He cares more about the NRA than you.
[Photo: Mother with two children]: I'll take on the NRA;
I'll take on big Pharma; and I'll take on Donald Trump.
[Photo: Steve sisolak at rally]: As Governor I'll stand up for Nevada and for Nevada families. [Caption: Steve Sisolak for governor.]
Source: OnTheIssues AdWatch on 2018 Nevada Gubernatorial race
Mar 21, 2018
Steve Sisolak:
Workable pathway to citizenship for law-abiding immigrants
Q: Support DACA, allowing "Dreamers" who arrived illegally as children, then grew up in the US, to achieve legal status if meet certain conditions?Adam Laxalt (R): Unclear. In 2015, joined lawsuit challenging expansion to cover parents of
DACA kids, though didn't join anti-DACA suit.
Steve Sisolak (D): Yes. "Protect these young people who want nothing more than to be accepted by the only country they've ever known."
Q: Immigration: Support path to citizenship for America's 11 million illegal immigrants?
Adam Laxalt (R): No specific position.
Hopes DC representatives "can compromise on solutions that secure our border and take all situations into account."
Steve Sisolak (D): Yes. "Create a workable pathway to citizenship for law-abiding immigrants."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Nevada Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
Susie Lee:
Against funding ill-conceived border wall
I believe that any country should secure its border and should have a policy on who they want to come to the country and what their path to citizenship is. And so I believe that we should have that . do I believe that we should spend money on a wall
that people who are experts at the borders say will have no or very little impact? I certainly don't agree that taking money from our military and reducing our national security to build an ill-conceived wall is the right policy at all.
Source: The Nevada Independent on 2019 NV-3 House incumbent
Sep 9, 2019
Susie Lee:
Secure border by investing in people, technology
I think that there are investments that we need to make and . it's in people. It's in technology. It is in also making sure that we are able to process people coming through. I mean, there's such a backlog . People are waiting years to be processed
through. And so there needs to be an investment up and down that chain so that when people are coming here to claim asylum or coming here to get into the states legally, that we have a method.
Source: The Nevada Independent on 2019 NV-3 House incumbent
Sep 9, 2019
Page last updated: Feb 18, 2023