Comparing Candidates on Worker-Protection Immigration Stances
 * = Incumbent |  Michael Turner (GOP) |  Theresa Gasper (DEM) |  John Mitchel (GOP) |  John Anderson (GOP) |  Robert Klepinger (DEM) |  Michael Milisits (DEM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
True Reformer | ||||||
Oppose Amnesty Do you OPPOSE offering the officially estimated 11 million people illegally in the U.S. long-term work permits and/or a path to citizenship (whether through a blanket amnesty or an "earned legalization" or other form)? | ||||||
Implement Interior Enforcement Do you support Attrition Through Enforcement (denying public benefits, turning off the jobs magnet and enforcing existing laws) as the primary way to deal with the existing illegal population, causing illegal aliens to self-repatriate back to their home countries over time? | ||||||
Mandate E-Verify Should jobs held by illegal aliens be opened up for unemployed Americans and legal immigrants already here by (a) requiring all employers to use the federal automated, rapid-response internet system (E-Verify) to screen out illegal foreign workers, and (b) by setting up systems to identify and fire existing employees who used fraudulent and stolen identities to obtain jobs? | ||||||
Assist Local Police Should the federal government be required to cooperate with local officials, including picking up all illegal aliens detained locally and training law enforcement agencies waiting in line for the 287(g) and other programs designed for local governments to assist federal immigration enforcement? | ||||||
Defund Sanctuary Cities Should Congress reduce funding to state and local governments that adopt sanctuary policies, in-state tuition, and/or other policies that give incentives to illegal aliens? | ||||||
Fund Entry/Exit System Should Congress fully fund the completion of the biometric entry/exit system at all borders and points of entry in which every non-citizen entering and leaving the U.S. is logged into a database which would notify law enforcement, businesses and others when a foreign tourist, student, worker or other fails to leave on-time? *(US-VISIT was approved by Congress in 1996, has never been sufficiently funded and is largely incomplete.) | ||||||
Secure the Border Should Congress fund and provide oversight for the full implementation of border security measures already signed into law? | ||||||
End Birthright Citizenship Should Congress move the U.S. in line with most other nations and stop the policy of giving automatic citizenship at birth to children when both parents are illegal aliens, tourists, or other visitors? | ||||||
End Visa Lottery Should Congress stop using a lottery to give away permanent green cards to 50,000 randomly chosen foreign citizens each year (an elimination suggested by the Jordan Commission)? | ||||||
End Chain Migration Should Congress implement the bipartisan, national Jordan Commission recommendation to limit family-based immigration to the nuclear family of spouse and minor children, thus eliminating the "chain migration" categories of extended family that are the key reason immigration has quadrupled since the 1960s? | ||||||
Limit Unnecessary Worker Visas Should Congress institute safeguards that will prevent importation of foreign workers (particularly on permanent visas) if their presence would threaten the jobs or depress the wages of American workers? | ||||||
Reduce Total Immigration Do you favor reducing overall immigration numbers toward the traditional levels? |
Notes
Key
Ratings are based on responses to our survey or on candidate statements on campaign websites and in news reports. Incumbents are also rated on their congressional votes and co-sponsorships, primarily in the last two years. A Grade Letter above a photo indicates the latest in-Congress immigration grade for the incumbent in the race or for a person who previously served in Congress. You can learn more about candidates' positions by clicking on their names. NumbersUSA does not endorse candidates.
- What if my candidate hasn't completed a survey?
If your favorite candidate has not completed a survey, there are several things you can do.
- Download a copy of our survey and hand deliver it to the candidate's campaign office or email the attachment.
- Or if you don't want to download a copy of the survey, you can copy the link and email it to the campaign office: https://www.numbersusa.com/numbersusa-congressional-candidate-survey/
- Or you can call the candidate's campaign office and urge them to complete our survey. Give them our phone number to call: (703) 816-8820.
- What is a “True Reformer”?
A “True Reformer” is a candidate who PROMISES to support all or nearly all of NumbersUSA's top immigration priorities. In most instances, “True Reformers” have completed our Immigration-Reduction Survey, but there are a few incumbents who have also earned the “True Reformer” label through their actions in Congress, most notably by sponsoring all five of our “5 Great Immigration-Reduction Bills.”
The survey is not the final determinant. If we find sufficient actions and comments by a candidate that are contradictory to what has been stated on the survey, we replace the survey answer with a colored circle that indicates what we rate as the candidate's true position.
- What do the symbols mean?
Go to the bottom of the candidate comparison grid to find the full KEY that explains each symbol. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
GREEN: Supports lower immigration.
RED: Supports higher immigration.
YES and NO icons: These are the answers candidates gave us by completing our Immigration-Reduction Survey. Note that these are what candidates PROMISE to do if elected and are not based on past actions.
CIRCLES: If candidates don't fill out our survey, we rate them based on past actions and/or statements they have made in the media or on their websites.
Be sure to click on candidates' names below their photos to see notes they have written to amplify any of their answers, and to see links to statements that we have found and used to determine our ratings.
- What does a letter grade above a photo mean?
If candidates are current or former Members of Congress, a shield with their grade is located above their photo. The grade posted for incumbents is their grade for this Congress (2015–2016) only, while former Members have their career grade posted.
- Who should I vote for?
NumbersUSA does not endorse candidates, but we do tell you who has the best positions on immigration. Simply, the more green icons that candidates have on the grid below, the more likely they will be to reduce overall immigration and foreign-worker competition (both illegal and legal).
Voters will also want to make the usual assessments about a candidate's character and leadership abilities. You will also want to click on the name below the candidates' photos to see any notes that they wrote on survey and any links that we have provided to their public statements and websites.