2020 Presidential Candidates

How does your candidate rank on human-centered immigration reform?

How does your candidate rank on human-centered immigration reform? To arrive at the answer, we scoured through each candidate's campaign website. We conducted an exhaustive search on various interviews and media coverage, examined (high-level) prior policy they may have sponsored or participated in, and reviewed video interviews. For candidates with specific plans for reform, we took a deep dive into their plan with an eye towards its comprehensiveness and promise of immediate action to correct the human rights tragedies of the current administration's policies. As we face separation, deportation into harm's way, and possible discrimination as a married couple forced into a Central American culture that does not recognize LGTBQ+ rights, strong leadership on immigration reform is imperative. We recognize the value of informed decisions. Select from the various icons below each candidate to better evaluate their position. The candidates with the most comprehensive plans are scored with an A+. Candidates are in no specific order. In recognition of the human rights tragedies perpetrated by the current administration, Trump is not included as a candidate on this page.

"Mayor Pete" Buttigieg (D-IN)

Enrique and I met with Mayor Pete and shared our story early in the start of his campaign. For us, he is a standout candidate because of his comprehensive approach.

According to Pete's Plan, "11 million undocumented people, including Dreamers, live among us—two-thirds have been here more than a decade —but still have no chance to become citizens. We must and will create a path to citizenship for them. In his first 100 days, Pete will push for legislation that provides a mechanism to gain legal status and, ultimately, citizenship. He will "End the three- and ten-year bars to re-entering the United States. Many immigrants qualify for green cards based on a family relationship. However, they must leave the United States to apply, even though leaving would trigger a ban that could make them ineligible for that green card for up to ten years. Families should not be forced to endure extended separation." This is precisely one of the challenges we are facing!

Please select from the icons below to watch our curated video playlist, visit Mayor Pete's website, read his plan, and take a deep-dive into his candidate profile on BallotPedia.org.

PETE'S IMMIGRATION
PLAN

Bernie Sanders (D-VT)

Bernie has called the White House rescission of DACA efforts the "...ugliest and most cruel decision made by a president of the US in the modern history of this country."

From border security to a path to citizenship, visa reform, DACA, and rescinding the Muslim ban, Bernie has one of the most comprehensive strategies to address the nation's failing immigration system.

Sanders gets it when it comes to human-centered immigration reform. He recently co-sponsored the "Immigration Court Improvement Act of 2019," which seeks to correct the current administration's efforts to limit the authority of immigration judges to provide fair and impartial decisional independence. A significant reversal given the current administration's unjust policies that turn immigration judges into deportation rubber-stampers with policies that obstruct fair and impartial due process for immigrants.

Please select from the icons below to watch our curated video playlist, visit Senator Sanders' website, read his comprehensive plan, and take a deep-dive into his candidate profile on BallotPedia.org.

BERNIE'S IMMIGRATION PLAN

Joe Biden (D-PA)

Former Vice President Joe Biden's plans to reform immigration is comprehensive. After 8yrs in the White House, he knows the various levers to pull to fix the disastrously broken U.S. immigration system. His prior contributions to DACA, among other legislation, demonstrates his long walk on the right side of immigration history.

Describing the tragedy that is the current administration's policies on immigration as "moral failing and a national shame," Biden led efforts to address the root cause that spurs migration from Central America including, "violence and insecurity, lack of economic opportunity, and corrupt governance." He was a force behind the bi-partisan approved $750M aid package to address these issues. The current administration has since frozen the aid.

Biden will aggressively advocate for legislation that creates a clear roadmap to legal status and citizenship for unauthorized immigrants who register, is up-to-date on their taxes, and has passed a background check.

Select from the icons below to learn more about President Biden's Plan.

JOE'S IMMIGRATION
PLAN

Elizabeth Warren, (D-MA)

Elizabeth’s plan is potentially one of the most comprehensive. Included in her very detailed plan are, decriminalizing migration, remaking CBP and ICE in a way that reflects our values, creating accountability for the abuse perpetrated during the Trump Era, eliminating expedited removal and providing due process, affirming asylum protections, repealing the 3- and 10-year bars, providing a fair and achievable pathway to citizenship, and the very important need to address the forces displacing migrants from their home countries. Senator Warren’s plan is one of the most robust.

More importantly - Senator Warren’s plan addresses one of the most critical fixes needed! Seeking to “establish professional, independent Article I immigration courts,” Warren’s plan offers the real promise of reform! Warren mandates, “DOJ both oversees the immigration court system and enjoys massive authority to manipulate those courts to implement the president’s immigration policy agenda. Immigration court rulings can even be overturned by the Attorney General — a fundamental conflict of interest exploited by Jeff Sessions. I’ll work to create a credible, independent system by passing legislation establishing Article I judicial review for immigration cases modeled on our federal courts.” Arguably the first brick in the foundation of any sustainable reform effort, Warren’s plan gets it.

ELIZABETH'S IMMIGRATION PLAN

Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

A strong and capable leader, Amy's plan for immigration reform is lite in the meat-n-potatoes department.

From jump-starting legislative negotiations for comprehensive reform with the stated goal of passing it in the 1st-year to raising the refugee admissions cap, and ending the travel ban, Senator Klobuchar's plan touches on just a few of the grave injustices within American immigration.

What is notably different is that she outlines only a "jump-start" to negotiations and a "goal" of passing it in year one. Sadly, the bi-partisan negotiating approach will not deliver results in one year, nor five. History shows us - the two parties are not even in the same ballpark when it comes to immigration. Senator Klobuchar's plan promises more of the same bickering and, sadly, is not likely to deliver results.

Following her strong performance in the 2019 Judge Kavanaugh hearings, we find the Senator to be a demonstrated leader. Her published plan for immigration reform falls flat for us. The proposal fails to take the unwavering and impenetrably strong stance that is required to stop the many human rights violations (an example of domestic terrorism) unleashed by the current administration. Immigration reform will require a swift and stern approach. From what we see published, Klobuchar's plan falls short.

AMY'S IMMIGRATION
PLAN

Cory Booker (D-NJ)


Cory’s published plan is vague. Other than talking points, his plan, like Amy’s, do not go into strategic details for a human-centered immigration reform approach. Included in the plan are treating immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers with dignity and putting forward a new vision for modernizing immigration to addressing the root causes of the migration and refugee crisis and expanding protections for immigrants while rolling back the Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant policies. The obvious next question is - “How?”

Senator Booker’s progressive work to address many of the injustices rolled out by the Trump Administration is commendable, including his crafting of the “Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act.” The act seeks to rid the country of for-profit detention facilities while also assuring immigrants receive a fair and impartial process. Including the opportunity for immigrants to have bond hearings and shifting the burden to the government to prove the immigrant should be detained for posing a risk to the community or are a flight risk, step firmly on the right track.

We see Cory as a well intentioned strong candidate. We need a more detailed plan that addresses the very complex needs of a top-down approach towards real human-centered immigration reform.


CORY'S IMMIGRATION
PLAN

Michael Bloomberg (D-NY)

Mike formed the pro-immigration organization New American Economy, representing more than 500 mayors and CEOs from all 50 states who are highlighting the contributions of immigrants. His website gloats of his accomplishments in immigration, as it should, however, we were unable to find a clear and concise plan for how he, as President, would direct the reform of the nation's immigration affairs/oversight.

While we were unable to locate Mayor Bloomberg's strategy to reform immigration, in one video, he describes immigration reform as the first thing he will do as President. He has described the failure to reform American immigration a "national suicide" for the loss of innovation and economic opportunity current policies hamper. His focus to help immigrants to create small businesses that create jobs, perhaps offering green cards to immigrants who start a business that employees others, is a fresh start but does not convey a top-down plan for sweeping changes that are needed.

Bloomberg's accomplishments aren't anything to overlook. Described as a "global model for cities seeking to better integrate and serve immigrant communities," his Office of Immigrant Affairs is highly regarded. 


BLOOMBERG'S IMMIGRATION
PLAN

Michael Bennet (D-Colo)

While Michael Bennet's overall plan tackles corruption and political reform, it will undoubtedly impact immigration as well. We could not find his specific plan for immigration reform other than a general statement suggesting an idea to "pass comprehensive, durable immigration reform that provides a path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants. He will enact the Dream Act, establish 21st Century border security, and make our immigration system rational—so that businesses, farmers, ranchers, and workers can go through the legal process in a way that expands growth, raises incomes for Americans, and respects our traditions as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. 

Senator Bennet has been active in efforts to provide legal status to immigrants already in the U.S. One of eight lawmakers who participated in the highly regarded Gang of Eight that penned the 2013-2014 S.744 - Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. Seemingly a step in the right direction, the act increases enforcement at various levels while providing specific relief to immigrants. His plan does not appear to address one of the most pressing issues - the need for a change in immigration oversight from the DOJ and AG down to judicial administration and enforcement.

NO IMMIGRATION PLAN AVAILABLE

John Delaney (D-MD)


Create a clear path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and DREAMers, invest in effective border security, including high tech solutions, fencing, increased security personnel, and improvements to ports of entry to improve national security, reform the visa program for guest workers, and increase refugee cap for resettlement in the U.S. are all steps in a positive direction included in Senator Delaney's plan. That said, unlike his Democratic contenders, Delaney would not decriminalize border crossing - a stance that enabled the Trump administration to separate families at the border as a deterrent.

Already a civil penalty that could result in deportation, the criminality of border crossing paves the way for prosecution of a misdemeanor and incarceration. Senator Delayn's plan would instead make it illegal to separate children from their families.

While Delaney's campaign site falls short of providing a comprehensive plan for human-centered immigration reform, select from the icons below to view a curated list of available videos, visit his website, read his policy, and review Delaney's extensive profile on BallotPedia.org.



JOHN'S IMMIGRATION
PLAN

Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)

While a co-sponsor on a handful of prior immigration bills have been posted to Senator Gabbard’s campaign site, little by way of specific plans for human-centered immigration reform have been published.

Gabbard suggests, “We need comprehensive immigration reform to address our broken immigration laws and we need to have a serious conversation about the most effective and humane ways to compassionately secure our borders while building bridges and cooperative foreign policy with other countries. We need to ensure we have a clear, enforceable, accessible, and humane pathway to citizenship. Most urgently, we must pass DACA to ensure children who know no other home are allowed to remain in the US and take steps to ensure children are not separated from their parents. We must fund and equip agencies in charge of processing asylum claims and protect migrants, many of whom are women and children, who are going through our asylum process and fleeing natural disasters, religious persecution, or violence under an asylum status.” All common threads for most candidates, the jury is still out when it comes to Tulsi’s plan. Check out the curated video playlist to learn more about her views. She has some great insights into how foreign policy impacts immigration. See for yourself...

TULSI'S IMMIGRATION
PLAN

Marianne Williamson (D-CA)

Marianne's approach is human-centered by its definition! William's plan includes providing a timely, ethical, transparent, and straightforward path to citizenship for all law-abiding and productive immigrants living in the United States, overturning the three- and ten-year re-entry bars, and stopping the punishment of children brought by their parents. Working to close private detention centers, ending family separation, speeding-up processing, and expanding LGBTQ protection are also essential. Ensuring due process and constitutional protections are available to undocumented immigrants are also on the docket. William's plan to make affordable health care available to all families (documented or not) shows this candidate is clear on what's broken and needs fixing in American immigration.

We did not see a call for top-down reform included in her published content. Perhaps the #1 issue to address, unilateral control of policies that impact millions of immigrant lives, all vested under the AG and DOJ, is the first place any candidate must start in revamping the system. The current system strips immigrants from due process and fair and impartial adjudication. Marianne's "Return to Love" approach is refreshing and hopeful. 

MARIANNE'S IMMIGRATION
PLAN

Andrew Yang (D-NY)

Candidate Yang’s plan includes “The Dream Act, Southern Border Security, and a concept referred to as a Pathway to Citizenship for Undocumented Immigrants.”

When referencing the nearly 11-million undocumented living in the U.S., Yang suggests, “Rounding up and deporting that many people is a nonstarter—it would be prohibitively expensive, disruptive, and inhumane to many communities. A pathway to citizenship must be provided (after securing our southern border, so that we don’t end up right back where we started). However, this pathway must reflect the fact that these individuals tried to circumvent our legal immigration system.” Whatever that means, Andrew does not go any further to explain the blame v/s the fix he would propose.

Published content does not provide details regarding Andrew’s plan to reform immigration but consistently points to robots and automation that are taking American jobs of which immigrants are referred to as “the scapegoat.” How Yang would change immigration to fix the situation remains unclear.

Further information is needed to understand this candidate's vision better and plan for the future of human-centered immigration reform.
 

ANDREW'S IMMIGRATION
PLAN

Deval Patrick (D-MA)

While Governor Patrick has addressed some needs of policy shifts in his state, a plan for comprehensive immigration reform has yet to be published. The candidate's site posits, "America deserves an immigration system that assures human dignity as well as a secure border, that encourages the determined and creative whose values align with ours to make their home here. We will propose to do it by providing a path to citizenship for Dreamers and others in the country without legal status; work authorization to students who complete their studies in the United States; smoother, more transparent, more secure and predictable visa application processes and enforcement; and a recommitment to our historic openness to refugees and new Americans. We must also secure our borders and other ports of entry, but with more modern, more effective, and less ham-fisted ways than with a physical wall. And while we are at it, ICE needs an overhaul."

High-level bullets, the Governor's plan falls short of details. Also missing in his plan is a top-down change of immigration oversite mentioned in other's plans.

DEVAL'S IMMIGRATION
PLAN

Tom Steyer (D-CA)

Billionaire Activist Tom Steyer, a viable candidate perhaps on bolstering the economy, offers a high-level description of his immigration plan. "America is a nation of immigrants, and we must never trade border security for compassion. Tom will work toward comprehensive immigration reform, including re-establishing America as a safe haven for those fleeing persecution and oppression. He will take executive action to reinstate the DACA and TPS programs, reinvigorate our visa system to attract the best and brightest to our schools and companies,"

Together, he and his activist organization NextGen have contributed more than $3M to assist immigrants in covering the cost of legal support for DACA applications, citizenship, and other costly legal representation. He is a staunch supporter of immigrants; however, more information is needed regarding Tom's specific plan for human-centered immigration reform. A full plan was not available at the time of producing this site.


TOM'S IMMIGRATION
PLAN

Roque De La Fuente (R -CA)

Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente, a Latino real estate mogul, does not provide a specific plan for immigration reform. However, available content via news interviews and the candidate's website indicates this could be a Republican who may have deep roots in the immigrant condition.

The recent past owner of U.S. acquired two-mile track of land along the southern border, Rocky does not support Trump's wall. Proceeds from the sale of the property are said to have helped fund the candidate's campaign.

Rocky has been described as sensitive to the plight of the undocumented population because of his close ties to businesses, real estate, and work with the Latino population. A plan was not available at the time of development of this site.








ROGUE'S IMMIGRATION
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Bill Weld (R-MA)

According to former Massachusetts Governor, William “Bill” Weld, “The United States should be a nation
that tears down walls and builds bridges, not the other
way around.” Lite in strategic details but within the wheelhouse on humane solutions, Weld offers a refreshing start to human-centered immigration reform as a Republican who values our nation of immigrants.

“No matter the era, our nation has always been best defined by those who are willing to risk everything to come in search of the American Dream,” his plan conveys. Perhaps more importantly, he points the finger squarely at his opponent as he expresses, “President Trump would prefer a nation with no immigrants. I know that is a strong assertion, but I believe his statements and actions indicate that that is what he actually believes. This is a man who said that there were ‘very fine’ white nationalists.”

The rhetoric seems on point. Now let’s see a detailed plan for comprehensive human-centered immigration reform. At the time of development of this site, a plan was not available, nor was any video interviews on immigration reform posted to YouTube.

BILL'S IMMIGRATION 
PLAN (Lite)

Joe Walsh (R-IL)

"Absolute incompetence" is how former Republican Congressman Joe Walsh refers to Trump's policies on immigration. Suggesting he could do a better job, Walsh offers little plans for how his Presidency would deliver on human-centered immigration reform.

At the time of the development of this site, no plan or videos were available online. Be sure to check out Walsh's detailed profile at BalletPedia.org.

NO IMMIGRATION PLAN
AVAILABLE

The Other Candidate...













INHUMANE IMMIGRATION PLAN ALREADY DEPLOYED

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