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2008 Elections
Immigration: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton
Posted on Thursday March 27, 2008
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Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton www.hillaryclinton.com
1717 K Street, NW |
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Read Clinton's full address to the AAI National Leadership Conference
Watch Clinton's full address to the AAI National Leadership Conference
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On whether she would consider stopping federal raids by immigration enforcement officials on homes and businesses until comprehensive immigration reform has passed:
I would consider that, except in egregious situations where it would be appropriate to take the actions you're referring to.
But when we see what's been happening, with literally babies being left with no one to take care of them, children coming home from school, no responsible adult left, that is not the America that I know.
That is against American values. And it is a stark admission of failure by the federal government. We need comprehensive immigration reform. I have been for this. I signed onto the first comprehensive bill back in 2004. I've been advocating for it: tougher, more secure borders, of course, but let's do it the right way, cracking down on employers, especially once we get to comprehensive immigration reform, who exploit undocumented workers and drive down wages for everyone else.
I'd like to see more federal help for communities like Austin and others like Laredo, where I was this morning, that absorb the health care, education, and law enforcement costs.
And I personally, as president, would work with our neighbors to the south, to help them create more jobs for their own people.
Finally, we need a path to legalization, to bring the immigrants out of the shadows, give them the conditions that we expect them to meet, paying a fine for coming here illegally, trying to pay back taxes, over time, and learning English.
If they had a committed a crime in our country or the country they came from, then they should be deported. But for everyone else, there must be a path to legalization. I would introduce that in the first 100 days of my presidency.
On the border fence:
…having been along the border for the last week or so -- in fact, last night I was at the University of Texas at Brownsville -- and this is how absurd this has become under the Bush administration. Because, you know, there is a smart way to protect our borders, and there is a dumb way to protect our borders.
And what I learned last night when I was there with Congressman Ortiz is that the University of Texas at Brownsville would have part of its campus cut off.
This is the kind of absurdity that we're getting from this administration. I know it because I've been fighting with them about the northern border. Their imposition of passports and other kinds of burdens are separating people from families, interfering with business and commerce, the movement of goods and people.
So what I've said is that I would say, wait a minute, we need to review this. There may be places where a physical barrier is appropriate.
I think when both of us voted for this, we were voting for the possibility that where it was appropriate and made sense, it would be considered. But as with so much, the Bush administration has gone off the deep end, and they are unfortunately coming up with a plan that I think is counterproductive.
So I would have a review. I would listen to the people who live along the border, who understand what it is we need to be doing to protect our country.
…there's a lot we've learned about technology and smart fencing. You know, there is technology that can be used instead of a physical barrier.
It requires us having enough personnel along the border so that people can be supervising a certain limited amount of space and will be able to be responsive in the event of people attempting to cross illegally.
I think that the way that the Bush administration is going about this, filing eminent domain actions against landowners and municipalities, makes no sense.
So what I have said is, yes, there are places when after a careful review, again listening to the people who live along the border, there may be limited places where it would work. But let's deploy more technology and personnel, instead of the physical barrier.
I frankly think that will work better and it will give us an opportunity to secure our borders without interfering with family relations, business relations, recreation and so much else that makes living along the border, you know, wonderful.
February 21, 2008
Transcript, Democratic Presidential Debate, Austin, Texas
Responding to the question of ‘why it makes sense’ to give an illegal immigrant a driver's license?
Well, what Governor Spitzer is trying to do is fill the vacuum left by the failure of this administration to bring about comprehensive immigration reform. We know in New York we have several million at any one time who are in New York illegally. They are undocumented workers. They are driving on our roads. The possibility of them having an accident that harms themselves or others is just a matter of the odds. It's probability. So what Governor Spitzer is trying to do is to fill the vacuum. I believe we need to get back to comprehensive immigration reform because no state, no matter how well-intentioned, can fill this gap. There needs to be federal action on immigration reform.
I just want to add, I did not say that it should be done, but I certainly recognize why Governor Spitzer is trying to do it. And we have failed –
But the point is, what are we going to do with all these illegal immigrants who are (driving ?) -- (inaudible)?
Well, what Governor Spitzer has agreed to do is to have three different licenses; one that provides identification for actually going onto airplanes and other kinds of security issues, another which is an ordinary driver's license, and then a special card that identifies the people who would be on the road.
October 30, 2007
Transcript, Democratic Presidential Debate, Philadelphia, PA
We have to, though; remain faithful to our condition as a beacon for people around the world seeking a better life.
I believe we have to, as part of comprehensive immigration reform, create a path to earned legalization and I will continue to stand for that and advocate for that.
October 4, 2007
Christina Bellantoni, “Hillary Touts Bill to Unite Illegals’ Kin,” Washington Times
Well, in addition to the general points that have been made, that I agree with, why do they have sanctuary cities? In large measure because if local law enforcement begins to act like immigration enforcement officers, what that means is that you will have people not reporting crimes. You will have people hiding from the police. And I think that is a real direct threat to the personal safety and security of all the citizens.
So this is a result of the failure of the federal government, and that's where it needs to be fixed. Well, I don't think there is any choice. The ICE groups go in and raid individuals, but if you're a local police chief and you're trying to solve a crime that you know people from the immigrant community have information about, they may not talk to you if they think you're also going to be enforcing the immigration laws.
Local law enforcement has a different job than federal immigration enforcement. The problem is the federal government has totally abdicated its responsibility.
September 26, 2007
Transcript, Democratic Presidential Debate, Hanover, NH
Well, actually, I do favor much more border patrolling and much more technology on both of our borders, and in certain areas, even a physical barrier, because I think we've got to secure our borders. That has to be part of comprehensive immigration reform.
I have championed comprehensive immigration reform, and it includes starting with securing our borders in order to give people the support they need to come over and support us when it comes to having a pathway to legalization. We all know that this has become a contentious political issue. It is being demagogued, and I believe that it is being used to bash immigrants, and that must stop.
The Republican candidates need to understand that they are doing a great disservice to our country. We want to work in a bipartisan way, insofar as possible, to have comprehensive reform -- employer verification, more help for local communities so that they can pay for schooling and hospital and other expenses that they have to bear because of the immigration crisis. And the federal government needs leadership, and I will provide that as president.
…I think there are three different aspects of this. Number one, we do need to work with the Congress to get legislation that is comprehensive. I am proud to work with my friend, Senator Menendez, on trying to make sure that in the process of doing immigration reform, we don't separate families, we try to have family unification as one of the goals. So in addition to giving people a path to legalization, we want to make sure their families can come along with them.
Number two, there does have to be an intensive effort with our friends to the south to see how the United States can once again be a partner, a partner with a relationship based on mutual respect, where we work together to find ways that we can help them address the needs of the people living in the countries to the south.
And finally, we have to educate the American people about why immigration, as important as it was when my family came through into Ellis Island, it is just as important today.
So I will take on each of those challenges and in my first year begin to address immigration successfully.
September 9, 2007
Transcript, Democratic Presidential Debate, Coral Cables, FL
I am deeply disappointed that we still have not solved our nation's immigration crisis. We need comprehensive immigration reform, and I hope that we can find a solution that secures our borders, respects the rule of law, and honors both our history as a nation of immigrants and our basic values of respect and compassion.
In particular, as part of this solution, we must protect the sanctity of families and repair the broken, unfair bureaucratic system that forces lawful immigrants to live apart from their spouses and children. I am hopeful that one day soon we will be able to create a fairer process for people and families who are playing by the rules and seeking to come to this country in search of the American Dream.
I will continue to work with my colleagues on a solution that honors all of these principles.
June 28, 2007
Clinton’s comments on a Senate vote regarding immigration reform
I don’t think full-time work in America, the richest country in the world, should keep someone in poverty. Full-time work should put that person and his family on the path to a better future. And there are ways we can begin to do that, to create more jobs, to have more skills programs, to help better match the jobs with the skills, to give the people that I see all the time, who just can’t make it on what they’re paid a real fighting chance.
In the debate over immigration, I have made family reunification my mission and I appreciate the help that a number of you have given me on an amendment that I introduced to try to reunite legal permanent residents and also support the work that Senator Menendez has done. Because I don’t think our country, of all countries, should be furthering family breakup and disunity. And I hope that as we bring this immigration bill forward, we’re going to see that it does more for families, that it does recognize that our family values have to be reflected in our immigration system.
There’s a lot of work to be done and we need to do it together. I think that this immigration debate has actually given us a chance to reject the extremes and to find the center ground and then hold it.
June 15, 2007
Remarks, 2007 National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast
Well, I'm in favor of comprehensive immigration reform, which includes tightening our border security, sanctioning employers who employ undocumented immigrants, helping our communities deal with the costs that come from illegal immigration, getting the 12 million or so immigrants out of the shadows. That's very important to me. After 9/11, we've got know who's in this country. And then giving them a chance to pay a fine, pay back taxes, learn English, and stand in line to be eligible for legal status in this country.
April 26, 2007
Transcript, Democratic Presidential Debate, Orangeburg, SC
