Michelle Lujan-Grisham on Immigration

Withdraw troops from Mexican border: there's no emergency

Lujan Grisham ordered the withdrawal just before Trump delivered his State of the Union address, in which he railed against illegal immigration and labeled a group of mainly Central American migrants as "illegal immigrants"--despite the fact that most of them are traveling with legal humanitarian visas.

Lujan Grisham rejected the idea that a national emergency exists along her state's border with Mexico. But she also said some troops will remain in southwestern NM, saying they're needed to fulfill a humanitarian mission.

Supports earned path to citizenship for DREAMers and others

Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Worked to protect their status. Supports earned path to citizenship, for DACA recipients and illegal immigrants in general.

Steve Pearce (R): Yes. On DACA, proposed 10-year "conditional protected status" with option to renew but no path to citizenship. Supports guest worker program, without amnesty.

Fight funding the border wall; advocate for DREAMers

Prohibit local law enforcement from enforcing federal law

Opposes exiting US to apply for citizenship.

Project Vote Smart infers candidate issue stances on key topics by summarizing public speeches and public statements. Congressional candidates are given the opportunity to respond in detail; about 11% did so in the 2012 races.

Project Vote Smart summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: 'Immigration: Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?'

Voted to legalize DREAMer immigrants via military service.

Congressional Summary: The House voted on an amendment by Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) to H.R. 5293, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2017. The amendment would prohibit funds from being used to extend the expiration of, or reissue a new expiration date to, the Military Accessions Vital to National Interest (MAVNI) program.

Recommendation by Heritage Foundation to vote YES:(6/16/2016): The MAVNI program is a pilot program authorizing "military services to recruit certain legal immigrants whose skills are considered to be vital to the national interest." However, a DoD memo has made it clear that DACA/DAPA recipients are eligible under this program, essentially opening up a pathway to amnesty for illegal aliens who enlist. By ensuring that this guidance ends, DOD will no longer be able to enlist illegal immigrants through MAVNI.

Recommendation by the ACLU to vote NO: (6/28/2011): The DREAM Act promotes fundamental fairness for young people by allowing access to affordable post-secondary education and military service opportunities, regardless of immigration status, and would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, have lived here for at least five years and have graduated from high school. The DREAM Act could result in billions of dollars in additional tax revenue from tapping the potential of DREAM-eligible students and future service personnel. Since September 11, 2001, more than 69,000 immigrants have earned citizenship while serving, and more than 125 who entered military service after that date have made the ultimate sacrifice in war by giving their lives for this nation.

Legislative outcome: Failed House 210 to 211 (no Senate vote)