OnTheIssuesLogo

Howard Dean on Immigration

Former VT Governor; Former Democratic Candidate for President


Earned legalization for undocumented immigrants

Q: Should it become easier for undocumented foreign workers in the US to gain legal immigration status?

A: We need earned legalization for undocumented immigrants in the US who work hard, pay taxes, and otherwise obey the rules, so that they can become full participants in society, including becoming citizens.

Source: Associated Press policy Q&A, "Immigration" Jan 25, 2004

Be careful about granting citizenship for military services

Q: Would you automatically grant citizenship to any immigrant who serves in combat on behalf of the US?

DEAN: You have to be a little bit careful about how you do that, otherwise you will have a disproportionate number of people who are Hispanic joining the army simply to do that. So the answer is, if you serve America, yes, you ought to get citizenship. But we have to be very careful just exactly how we offer that so we don't have an unfair, disproportionate affect on Hispanics in this country who are not citizens.

KUCINICH: First, that we all agree that people ought to have citizenship if they serve this country. We also ought to agree that there ought to be amnesty for anyone who has been working in this country and would otherwise be denied rights. Third, we ought to talk about how the Bush administration's program that they just announced is really a program for indentured servitude because what they are talking about is locking people into control by corporations.

Source: Iowa Brown and Black Presidential Forum Jan 11, 2004

Don't divide immigrants-we all are

Immigrants are vital to this country. When I am giving a speech, I will often stop and ask how many people in the audience are Native Americans. A couple of people might put up their hands. Then I say, "The rest of you are all immigrants, the sons and daughters and grandchildren and descendants of immigrants." This is the legacy of our country.

Today, immigrants are among the hardest-working people in this country. They're often working two jobs, paying their taxes, and contributing to the well-being of their community. They came here for a better life and are looking to raise their kids and give them in turn a better life than they had themselves. This aspiration and hard work are part of the strength of our nation and we need to support these hard-working people. We cannot allow politicians to try to divide us and turn us against them on the basis of their being immigrants or on the basis of race.

Source: Winning Back America, by Howard Dean, p.142 Dec 3, 2003

If immigrants work & pay taxes, give them citizenship

Source: Campaign website, DeanForAmerica.com Nov 25, 2003

Poor treatment of Muslim immigrants is ethnic profiling

[Addressing the Arab American Institute, Dean] was applauded for criticizing the administration's policies in the Middle East and especially for the anti-terrorism tactics of Attorney General John Ashcroft, condemned by participants in a morning panel as targeting immigrants from Muslim countries and routinely violating their civil liberties.

The cheers and ovations grew more frequent when Dean turned to condemning the Bush administration's anti-terrorism tactics within the US, saying that its treatment of immigrants and roundups of Muslims amounted to "ethnic profiling" and violated constitutional guarantees -- reinforcing claims made by a battery of lawyers, scholars and community service agency workers during the morning panel. "Because John Ashcroft touts the Patriot Act around the country does not mean John Ashcroft is a patriot," Dean said to rising cheers. "That American flag over there belongs to every American -- not only to John Ashcroft, Rush Limbaugh, and Pat Robertson."

Source: David S. Broder, Washington Post, Page A5 Oct 19, 2003

Concerned about immigrants dying in desert crossings

Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean learns of Latin Americans dying in the Southwestern desert and calls for stricter labor and environmental standards in Mexico and other countries to help stifle illegal immigration. "Developing countries must have the same human-rights standards that we do," Dean said. "That will stop illegal immigration. Because when you allow labor standards and environmental standards in developing countries, you raise the standard of living and help create the middle class."
Source: Chip Scutari, The Arizona Republic Oct 8, 2003

The Americas are more important than War on Terror

I think for 9/11 to have affected our immigration policy with Latin America is ridiculous. The last time I looked, not one of those 19 hijackers was Latino. The problem with this administration is they can only think about one problem at a time. They are bogged down in Iraq, they are not defending us from Osama bin Laden, and they are not paying any attention to Latin America, which is the most important hemisphere in American history.
Source: Democratic Primary Debate, Albuquerque New Mexico Sep 4, 2003

No automated entry-exit control system; allow free flow.

Dean signed the New England Governors' Conference resolution:

Source: NEG/ECP Resolution 25-4: INS Data Management Act of 2000 00-NEGC4 on Jul 18, 2000

Share costs of legal immigration between states & federal.

Dean adopted the National Governors Association policy:


Source: NGA policy HR-2: Immigration and Refugee Policy 01-NGA3 on Feb 15, 2001

Federal government should deal with criminal repatriation.

Dean adopted the National Governors Association policy:



Finally, the Governors are concerned about the large number of deported felons that are returning to the United States. A significant number of the criminal alien felons housed in state prisons and local jails are previously convicted felons who reentered the United States after they were deported. The Governors urge the federal government to provide sufficient funds for proven positive identification systems, like the Automated Fingerprinting Identification System (AFIS), to allow for the expanded use of these systems in the rest of the nation.
Source: NGA policy HR-2: Immigration and Refugee Policy 01-NGA4 on Feb 15, 2001

Other candidates on Immigration: Howard Dean on other issues:
George W. Bush
Dick Cheney

Republican Possibilities:
George Allen
Jeb Bush
Bill Frist
Rudy Giuliani
John McCain
Mitt Romney

Democratic Possibilities:
Evan Bayh
Hillary Clinton
Howard Dean
John Edwards
Russ Feingold
Al Gore
John Kerry
Joe Lieberman
Al Sharpton
Mark Warner

Third Party Possibilities:
Ralph Nader
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
Principles/Values
Social Security
Tax Reform
War/Iraq/Mideast
Welfare/Poverty
Adv: Avi Green for State Rep Middlesex 26, Somerville & Cambridge Massachusetts