President Obama in Ohio
2010 Rock & Roll Hall induction
Montgomery Most Wanted
Presidential candidates' immigration policies
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Extras
Related links
- Article: Immigration system in tatters
- Article: Both sides frustrated over broken system
- Article: Obama, McCain immigration policies
- Article: Do both Obama, McCain back amnesty?
- Article: GOP accused of using immigration as wedge issue
- Article: Butler County dad's arrest splits immigrant family
- Video: Butler County Sheriff talks about immigration and the presidential candidates
- Video: Immigrant family facing hard times
- Chart: Estimated number of illegal immigrants in U.S.
- Chart: Poll reveals Ohioans' attitudes
- Interactive: Compare the candidates' stances on the big issues
- Interactive: Rank the hot button issues of the election and see how your ranking compares to others'
- More: Latest updates on the 2008 presidential election
What are the two major candidates' positions on immigration?
Republican
John McCain
• Co-sponsored a major immigration re-haul that would have enhanced border security, created a large temporary worker program, and offered many illegal immigrants a path to citizenship if they met certain requirements. The measure, also sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., passed in the Senate in 2006 but not in the House. A similar measure failed in the Senate last year.
• During the presidential campaign, McCain backed away from the bill, saying that border enforcement must come before any legalization programs.
• Distanced himself from immigration hard-liners, saying several times that illegal immigrants are "God's children" and need compassion and protections under the law.
• Voted for building 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.
• Voted to make English the nation's official language. The measure passed the Senate but never became law.
• Recently said to the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights group: "Our nation's national security requirements are that we have secure borders, but we can address this issue in a humane and compassionate way."
Democrat
Barack Obama
• Supports a broad immigration reform that would give many illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship if they met certain requirements such as learning English, passing a criminal background check, and paying fines. Promises to tackle such a bill in the first year of his administration.
• Said he would consider suspending work site immigration raids until Congress passed an immigration reform.
• While a state senator in Illinois, sponsored the Dream Act, which allowed illegal immigrant high school students to attend college with in-state tuition.
• Supports giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
• Voted for building 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.
• Recently said to the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights group: "We cannot — and should not — deport 12 million people. That would turn America into something we're not; something we don't want to be."
— Eunice Moscoso, Cox News Service
