State of Ohio Archives: on Immigration


JD Vance: Those who complain about southern border get called racist

If you think about the entire trajectory of American life over the last 30 to 40 years, you have elites and the ruling class that have plundered this country, have made it harder for middle class Americans to live a normal life. When those Americans dare to complain about the conditions of their own country, if they dare to complain about the southern border, or about jobs getting shipped overseas, what do they get called? They get called racist. They get called bigots, xenophobes, or idiots.
Source: Fox News on 2022 Ohio Senate race Jul 2, 2021

Bernie Moreno: Illegal immigrants haven't earned honor of citizenship

Our border is out of control. A nation without borders is not a nation. If you don't respect American laws enough to enter legally, you haven't earned the honor of citizenship.
Source: 2021 Ohio Senate campaign website BernieMoreno.com Apr 19, 2021

Jane Timken: Oppose open borders, amnesty for illegal immigrants

Joe Biden and his Socialist allies in Congress are targeting all the progress we made with Donald Trump as our President. Rolling back tough-on-China policies, flinging open our borders with amnesty for twelve million illegal immigrants, and decimating American energy jobs are just a few of the policies threatening the progress we have made and our Ohio values. As a U.S. Senator, Jane will be a champion for all Ohioans--protecting our way of life, protecting our jobs, and protecting families.
Source: 2021 Ohio Senate campaign website JaneTimkenForOhio.com Apr 19, 2021

Bernie Moreno: My parents came here legally to escape socialism

He compared New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders to "radicals like Fidel Castro and Che Guevara," and said he plans to protect the U.S. from the socialist left. The topic he focused on most was immigration, telling the story of how his family came to the U.S. from Columbia as a child to escape socialism. "This is personal to me. My parents came here legally, because they wanted us to see that in America, we can accomplish anything," Moreno said.
Source: Spectrum News 1 on 2022 Ohio Senate race Apr 6, 2021

Nan Whaley: Future economic growth depends on attracting new immigrants

No matter what you look like, who you love, or where you come from, you are welcome in Dayton. Nan knows that future economic growth in Dayton will depend on attracting new immigrants, so she has focused on making the city a place that welcomes all new Americans who want to build their lives in our community.
Source: 2022 Ohio Governor campaign website NanWhaleyForOhio.com Apr 6, 2021

Josh Mandel: Suspended by Twitter for poll on crimes by "illegals"

Twitter temporarily restricted Mandel's account for violating the social media platform's rules on "hateful conduct." Mandel's account created a poll about which type of "illegals" would commit more crimes, "Muslim Terrorists" or "Mexican Gangbangers." His campaign later shared that the account was temporarily suspended for 12 hours for violating Twitter's policies on "hateful conduct."
Source: The Cincinnati Enquirer on 2022 Ohio Senate race Mar 18, 2021

Josh Mandel: We need a fighter who will fight to build the wall

I've heard loud and clear from my fellow Ohioans that we need a warrior that won't quiver in their boots when it comes to standing up for conservative values. We need a fighter in the Senate who will fight to build the wall, combat China's economic cheating and advance conservative policies that gave us the greatest economy in American history. We need to keep our foot on the gas and build off the momentum of the Trump presidency.
Source: 2021 Ohio Senate campaign website JoshMandel.com Feb 10, 2021

Josh Mandel: We need a fighter who will fight to build the wall

Motivated by the Democrats' sham impeachment of President Trump, Josh Mandel announces for the United States Senate. Watching this sham and unconstitutional impeachment has made my blood boil and motivated me to run for U.S. Senate. It's sickening to see radical liberals and fake Republicans in Washington engage in this second assault on President Donald Trump and the millions of us who supported him."

"I've heard loud and clear from my fellow Ohioans that we need a warrior that won't quiver in their boots when it comes to standing up for conservative values. We need a fighter in the Senate who will fight to build the wall, combat China's economic cheating and advance conservative policies that gave us the greatest economy in American history. We need to keep our foot on the gas and build off the momentum of the Trump presidency."

Source: 2022 Ohio Senate campaign website JoshMandel.com Feb 10, 2021

Jim Renacci: Overturn DACA program: no legal status for DREAMers

Q: Support DACA, allowing "Dreamers" who arrived illegally as children, then grew up in the US, to achieve legal status if meet certain conditions?

Sherrod Brown (D): Yes. "We should not be targeting young people who are working, going to school, paying taxes & contributing to this country."

Jim Renacci (R): No. Voted in 2013 to overturn DACA program interim protection of Dreamers. Now supports Trump's approach-tying potential legalization to cuts in legal immigration & funding for border wall.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Ohio Senate race Oct 9, 2018

Mike DeWine: Supports DREAMers; but let President decide

Q: Support DREAM Act (DACA), allowing "Dreamers" who grew up in US after arriving illegally as children, to achieve legal status?

Richard Cordray (D): Yes. Embrace DACA recipients & create "pathways to citizenship for all immigrants who love & respect

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

Richard Cordray: Pathways to citizenship for all immigrants who love America

Q: Support DREAM Act (DACA), allowing "Dreamers" who grew up in US after arriving illegally as children, to achieve legal status?

Richard Cordray (D): Yes. Embrace DACA recipients & create "pathways to citizenship for all immigrants who love & respect

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

Sherrod Brown: Support DACA program: legal status for DREAMers

Q: Support DACA, allowing "Dreamers" who arrived illegally as children, then grew up in the US, to achieve legal status if meet certain conditions?

Sherrod Brown (D): Yes. "We should not be targeting young people who are working, going to school, paying taxes & contributing to this country."

Jim Renacci (R): No. Voted in 2013 to overturn DACA program interim protection of Dreamers. Now supports Trump's approach-tying potential legalization to cuts in legal immigration & funding for border wall.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Ohio Senate race Oct 9, 2018

Mike Gibbons: Opposes pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens

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

A: Strongly oppose

Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Ohio Senate candidate Apr 24, 2018

Josh Mandel: Ban sanctuary cities; jail mayors who try to establish them

Just a few days after President Trump was inaugurated, Senate candidate Josh Mandel, 40, proposed a bill that would ban Ohio's cities from providing sanctuary and send their mayors to prison for doing so, to boot. "Over our dead body will Cincinnati become a sanctuary city," Mandel said when announcing the proposal that would threaten Cincinnati's mayor with jail time as punishment for making Cincinnati "less safe against radical Islam."
Source: Cleveland Plain-Dealer on 2022 Ohio Senate race Nov 20, 2017

Josh Mandel: Ban sanctuary cities, jail mayors who try to establish them

Just a few days after President Trump was inaugurated, Senate candidate Josh Mandel, 40, proposed a bill that would ban Ohio's cities from providing sanctuary and send their mayors to prison for doing so, to boot. "Over our dead body will Cincinnati become a sanctuary city," Mandel said when announcing the proposal that would threaten Cincinnati's mayor with jail time as punishment for making Cincinnati "less safe against radical Islam."
Source: The Cleveland Plain-Dealer on 2022 Ohio Senate race Nov 20, 2017

Mike Gibbons: We must control our borders

We're a nation of immigrants, but unchecked illegal immigration is out of control. We simply can't have millions of people flooding to the country, working for lower wages off the books but still qualifying for taxpayer-funded government programs. It's not fair to the people who are competing for those jobs, paying their taxes, and following the law. We need to demand that new Americans follow our laws, starting with the laws that control our borders.
Source: 2018 Ohio Senatorial website GibbonsForOhio.com Oct 15, 2017

Jim Renacci: Supports border wall for Mexico plus temporary travel ban

Renacci, who strongly backed Republican Donald Trump for president last year, is serving his fourth term in Congress. Before entering politics, though, he owned nursing homes and other business ventures over three decades. "I was a business guy for 30 years, someone who created jobs and employed people. I want to use that background and experience. I do believe Donald Trump said the same thing. I supported Donald Trump because I believe the day of the career politicians, especially in D.C. but also here in Ohio, needs to change," Renacci said.

Renacci opposes abortion, capital punishment and gay marriage but supports Trump's proposals to build a wall on the border with Mexico, impose a temporary travel ban and repeal and replace ObamaCare.

Source: Dayton Daily News on 2018 Ohio gubernatorial race Feb 4, 2017

Warren Davidson: Securing our borders is a top national security issue

Q: Are you in favor of construction of a wall and other necessary infrastructure on our border that gives complete control over entering and exiting the United States?

Davidson: While I do not favor building a physical wall, securing our borders is a top national security issue. We already have a legal immigration processes--legal paths to citizenship and legal paths for guests (tourists, students and workers). We should improve them for talented people whose skills are in demand, and not ahead of those who have already shown contempt for our laws and our culture. I favor an end to birthright citizenship, defunding sanctuary cities and limiting all legal transactions (banking, education, etc.) to those who are here legally.

Source: 2016 AFA Action iVoterGuide on Ohio House race Nov 8, 2016

Ted Strickland: Fix broken system with comprehensive immigration reform

Q: What is your position on U.S. immigration policies, and how will you work to promote your position?

Ted Strickland: I support comprehensive immigration reform to fix our current broken system. We need to protect our homeland, secure the border, protect and unite families, create an earned path to citizenship, and promote our economic interests. Our system should be tough, fair, and practical. But I believe proposals to round up and deport 11 million individuals defy common sense. Reforms should keep families together, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because families are the bedrock of economic growth and civic engagement in Ohio and across this country. Unfortunately, Senator Portman voted against bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform--a bill that was even supported by Republicans like Senators McCain and Rubio.

Source: Vote411.org League of Women Voters on 2016 Ohio Senate Race Sep 19, 2016

P.G. Sittenfeld: Common-sense pathway to citizenship but not amnesty

Rob Portman does a good job of coming off as moderate. But his actual voting record tells something of a different story. An issue where Rob Portman is not the moderate that his image would project is on immigration reform. We saw 68 Senators pass what seemed like a pretty common-sense bipartisan effort toward immigration reform: there was a pathway to citizenship but not amnesty; it was "get in the back of the line; you still have to pay a fine;" and additional border agents. Not a lot of major legislation in the Senate gets 68 votes. Rob Portman ended up not voting for that. Rob Portman is so different stylistically than someone like Ted Cruz -- but he votes a lot like Ted Cruz! And I think that's out of step with the people of Ohio.
Source: OTI transcript of Cincinnati Enquirer: 2016 Ohio Senate race May 12, 2015

Jim Renacci: No pathway to citizenship; yes official English

Q: Do you support a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants?

A: No.

Q: Do you support decreasing the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country?

A: No.

Q: Do you support establishing English as the official national language?

A: Yes.

Q: Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?

A: Yes.

Source: Ohio Congressional 2010 National Political Awareness Test Nov 1, 2010

  • The above quotations are from State of Ohio Politicians: Archives.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Immigration.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
2020 Presidential contenders on Immigration:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)
Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021