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Amy Klobuchar on Immigration

DFL Sr Senator (MN); Democratic presidential contender

 


Immigrants don't diminish America; they ARE America

There is the will to change this in Congress. What's missing is the right person in the White House. I believe that immigrants don't diminish America; they are America. And if you want to do something about border security, you first of all change the rules so people can seek asylum in those Northern Triangle countries.
Source: July Democratic Primary debate (first night in Detroit) , Jul 30, 2019

Against open borders & decriminalizing illegal entry

Q: Do you support the idea to decriminalize unauthorized border crossings?

KLOBUCHAR: I support different enforcement priorities. Of course, I'll look at the statute to see if you can make changes depending on the level of a security risk. But no, I don't support open borders and simply getting rid of this statute.

Source: ABC This Week interviews in 2019 , Jul 14, 2019

Administration to blame for chaos at the border

They claimed they were going to show us how great things were down there and all these things they had done, and then you saw people in cages. That's why we have been pushing for standards in place, by changing the asylum process and by stopping this chaotic policy, because what happens is the traffickers say to the people in those countries, hey, the president's changed the policy again, or a court changed it because the president did a policy that was illegal, and then they start com
Source: ABC This Week interviews in 2019 , Jul 14, 2019

Comprehensive immigration reform is an economic issue

The people who are here on temporary legal status, we've got hundreds of thousands of people that are legally here that are at risk or are being deported that work in our nursing homes and our hospitals. We have got DREAMers, two million of them, that came to this country through no fault of their own and are a major part of our economy. So, we need to have an economic discussion, as well as a border discussion and that's why I want to move forward with comprehensive immigration reform.
Source: CBS Face the Nation 2019 interview series , Jun 30, 2019

25% of our Nobel laureates were born in other countries

Q: Secretary Castro just said that he wants to no longer have it be a crime to illegally cross the border. Do you support that? Do you think it should be a civil offense only?

KLOBUCHAR: Immigrants, they do not diminish America. They are America. But I do think you want to make sure that you have provisions in place that allow you to go after traffickers and allow you to go after people who are violating the law. What I really think we need to step back and talk about is the economic imperative here. And that is that 70 of our Fortune 500 companies are headed by people that came from other countries. Twenty-five percent of our U.S. Nobel laureates were born in other countries. We have a situation right now where we need workers in our fields and in our factories. We need them to start small businesses. We need their ideas. And this president has literally gone backwards at a time when our economy needs immigrants.

Source: June Democratic Primary debate (first night in Miami) , Jun 26, 2019

Immigrants crucial to labor & management

"The economics of it is that we need workers in our factories all over the country, we need workers on our farms, and we need workers with creative ideas," Klobuchar said. "At least 70 of our Fortune 500 companies are headed up by immigrants. So immigration has been a major driving economic force. And you can't have economics with heart, and neglect 12 million people, and just pretend they're not working in our economy."
Source: The Atlantic, "Heartland Economics": 2020 Democratic primary , Apr 4, 2019

Increase legal immigration but don't abolish ICE

Source: PBS News hour on 2020 Presidential hopefuls , Feb 10, 2019

Path to citizenship for people who have been law abiding

The Republican candidate, Jim Newberger, brought up the recent killing of an Iowa college student and alluded to the immigration status of her alleged killer. "If we would have had comprehensive immigration reform where we knew who was coming across our border, would Mollie have been killed in Iowa?" Newberger asked.

"First of all," Klobuchar answered, "the family has asked that people not politicize this tragic death."

Klobuchar added the man charged with the student's death should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. She also said that she endorsed a path to earned citizenship for people who have been law abiding and that she supported more money for border security and employer checks of immigrant status.

Source: MPR News on 2018 Minnesota Senate debate , Aug 22, 2018

No amnesty for companies hiring illegal immigrants

Q: What should we do on our southern border?

KLOBUCHAR: I believe we need to have order. We need to have adequate border controls, the fence, and no amnesty for companies hiring illegal immigrants; as well as earned citizenship for people who have been here, have paid their taxes, that are willing to learn English and become part of our community.

KENNEDY: Ms. Klobuchar came out first for a bill that had nothing in there for a fence. I [didn’t agree with that bill] that we should give a veto right to Mexico to control our border.

KLOBUCHAR: For 6 years, this Congressman and this Congress had the ability to do something about immigration. We need comprehensive immigration reform. It hasn’t happened. The Fargo Forum debunked his claims on my stands on immigration, and said they were distorted and not true.

FITZGERALD: I do not support a fence on our southern border. You show me a 50-foot fence, I’ll show you someone with a 51-foot ladder.

Source: Minnesota 2006 3-way Senate Debate, sponsored by LWV , Oct 30, 2006

Opposes Social Security for illegal immigrants

Q: You oppose Social Security for illegal immigrants?

KLOBUCHAR: Yes, I do.

KENNEDY: If you look at the record, she said she would support the Senate immigration bill, that would give benefits to 12 million people that didn’t have benefits. $5 billion cost to Social Security. If you included Medicare and Medicaid, that’d be $50 billion.

Source: 2006 MN Senate debate, on Meet the Press , Oct 15, 2006

Voted YES on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities".

CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY: To create a reserve fund to ensure that Federal assistance does not go to sanctuary cities that ignore the immigration laws of the United States and create safe havens for illegal aliens and potential terrorists. This vote is a motion to table the amendment; voting YES would kill the amendment.

SUPPORTER'S ARGUMENT FOR VOTING NO ON TABLING MOTION:Sen. VITTER: There are so-called sanctuary cities which establish as an official policy of their jurisdiction: We are not going to cooperate with Federal immigration enforcement officials. That is wrong. What is more, it is completely contrary to Federal immigration law. My amendment says: We are going to put some consequence to that defiance of Federal law. We are not going to give them COPS funds. We are going to send those funds, instead, to all of those other jurisdictions which abide by Federal law.OPPONENT'S ARGUMENT FOR VOTING YES ON TABLING MOTION:Sen. DURBIN: There are sanctuary cities in about 23 different States across America. What the Vitter amendment will do is to take away the COPS funding from those cities. Police departments will tell you they need the cooperation of everyone to solve crimes and stop crime. If you create fear in the minds of those who are here in an undocumented status that any cooperation with the police will result in their arrest, they will not cooperate and criminals will go free. Let's not use the COPS Program as some sort of threat. If you want to deal with immigration, deal with it responsibly in a comprehensive way. SUPPORTER'S RESPONSE:Sen. VITTER: If folks feel that way, they should come to Congress and change Federal law, not simply defy Federal law. This is another amnesty vote. Are we going to give folks in sanctuary cities amnesty for defying Federal law and refusing to cooperate with Federal immigration officials? LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME:Motion to Table Agreed to, 58-40

Reference: Bill Table S.Amdt.4309 to S.Con.Res ; vote number 08-S069 on Mar 13, 2008

Voted YES on comprehensive immigration reform.

    Establishes specified benchmarks which must be met before the guest worker and legalization programs may be initiated:
  1. operational control of the border with Mexico;
  2. Border Patrol increases;
  3. border barriers, including vehicle barriers, fencing, radar, and aerial vehicles;
  4. detention capacity for illegal aliens apprehended crossing the US-Mexico border;
  5. workplace enforcement, including an electronic employment verification system; and
  6. Z-visa alien processing.

Proponents recommend voting YES because:

If we do not legislate now, we will not legislate later this year when our calendar is crowded with Iraq and appropriations bills. We are then an election year, and it will be pushed over to 2009. Circumstances will not be better then, they will be worse.

A vote against cloture is a vote to kill the bill. A Senator may vote for cloture and then express himself in opposition to the bill by voting against the bill.

Opponents recommend voting NO because:

If this bill becomes law, we will see only a 13% reduction in illegal immigration into America, and in the next 20 years we will have another 8.7 million illegals in our country. How can that be reformed? I submit this would be a disaster.

The Congressional telephone systems have shut down because of the mass phone calls Congress is receiving. A decent respect for the views of the American people says let's stop here now. Let's go back to the drawing board and come up with a bill that will work.

The American people get it, and they do have common sense and wisdom on this issue. They know repeating the fundamental mistakes of the 1986 bill, joining a big amnesty with inadequate enforcement, will cause the problem to grow and not diminish. They know promising enforcement after 30 years of broken promises isn't good enough. They know the so-called trigger is a joke because if the trigger is never pulled, the Z visas, the amnesty happens forever.

Reference: McCain-Kennedy Immigration Reform Bill; Bill S.1639 ; vote number 2007-235 on Jun 28, 2007

Voted YES on declaring English as the official language of the US government.

Voting YES would declare English as the national language of the Government of the US. Unless specifically provided by statute, no person would have an entitlement to have the Government of the US communicate or provide materials in any language other than English. If an exception is made with respect to the use of a language other than English, the exception does not create a legal entitlement to additional services in that language. If any form is issued by the Federal Government in a language other than English, the English language version of the form is the sole authority for all legal purposes. Nothing in this amendment shall prohibit the use of a language other than English.

Proponents recommend voting YES because:

Right now, the polling shows that 91% of the people in America want English as an official language, and 76% of Hispanics believe English should be an official language.

Opponents recommend voting NO because:

I believe the American people understand in order to succeed in our society, immigrants need to learn English. But the amendment would do a number of things that are problematical. The first is that it is contrary to the provisions of law that exist in many States. For example, in New Mexico, you have in their State Constitution, a provision that says that many of the documents within that State have to be provided in both English and Spanish. The same thing is true for the State of Hawaii. I believe this is a States rights issue, and those constitutions of those States ought to be respected. I do not believe it is a matter we ought to be imposing here from Washington DC.

Also, this amendment would undo an executive order conceived by President Bill Clinton and implemented by President George Bush. Both recognized it is important that people who have limited English proficiency receive the kinds of services so they can understand what is going on in terms of the interface between the Government and themselves.

Reference: National Language Amendment Act; Bill S.Amdt.1151 to S.1348 ; vote number 2007-198 on Jun 6, 2007

Voted NO on eliminating the "Y" nonimmigrant guestworker program.

Proponents recommend voting YES because:

This legislation says we wish to add something called guest workers or temporary workers. With guest workers, working Americans would discover there is no opportunity for upward mobility at their job. In fact, every day their employers are trying to find ways to push down wages, eliminate retirement, and eliminate health care. What has happened in this country, with what is called the "new global economy," is dramatic downward pressure on income for American workers. The guest worker program provides that 400,000 people will be able to come in to assume jobs in our country per year--adding to the 12 million illegal immigrants already here.

Opponents recommend voting NO because:

I certainly concur about the need to secure our borders, about the need to have a workable immigration system, and the need for reform that ensures the rule of law is restored in the US. Where I differ is in the belief that we can actually achieve these goals if we have no ability for temporary workers to come to the country. This amendment would eliminate the temporary worker program from this bill.

Now, there are several reasons why a temporary worker program, within certain constraints, is a good idea. The first reason is because it will help to relieve the magnet for illegal immigration. The reason most of the people are crossing our border illegally is to get employment. There are jobs available for them. Some people say this is work Americans will not do. That is actually not true. But there are not enough American citizens to do all of the work that needs to be done. So naturally the law of supply and demand sets in here. People come across the border illegally, and they take that work. What we want to do is both close the border, but also eliminate the magnet for illegal employment here, because the reality is desperate people will always try to find some way to get into the country.

Reference: Dorgan Amendment; Bill S.Amdt.1153 on S.1348 ; vote number 2007-174 on May 22, 2007

Welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees now, and more later.

Klobuchar co-sponsored S.R.268

Senate Resolution 268 recognizes:

Opponents reasons for voting NAY: (Rep. Ross introductory remarks to opposing bill H.R.4025) "This legislation prohibits taxpayer dollars from being used to admit Syrian refugees to the United States. ISIS carried out a series of violent attacks in Paris, and reports have indicated at least one of the terrorists who committed these atrocities entered Europe by posing as a refugee fleeing Syria. These horrific attacks provide a warning of what can happen on American soil if we do not take appropriate and immediate action. Reliable intelligence about refugees from countries like Syria attempting to enter the United States is clearly unavailable. More than half of our country's governors have taken immediate action to prevent Syrian refugees from settling in their states. Our own intelligence community has expressed concerns about our capabilities to identify threats. The federal government has no greater responsibility than keeping Americans safe."

Source: Senate Resolution proposed by 8 Senators 15-SR268 on Sep 24, 2015

Opposes more border security, according to CC survey.

Klobuchar opposes the CC survey question on border security

The Christian Coalition Voter Guide inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'Increase Border Security Including Additional Infrastructures ' Christian Coalition's self-description: "Christian Voter Guide is a clearing-house for traditional, pro-family voter guides. We do not create voter guides, nor do we interview or endorse candidates."

Source: Christian Coalition Surve 18CC-12 on Jul 1, 2018

Other candidates on Immigration: Amy Klobuchar on other issues:
2020 Presidential Democratic Primary Candidates:
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)

2020 GOP and Independent Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (Libertarian-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (Green-NY)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich (R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence (R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
CEO Howard Schultz (I-WA)
Pres.Donald Trump (R-NY)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)
V.C.Arvin Vohra (Libertarian-MD)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld (L-NY,R-MA)
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External Links about Amy Klobuchar:
Wikipedia
Ballotpedia

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
State Rep.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
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)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)





Page last updated: Feb 24, 2020