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Mike Gravel on Immigration
The 10-plus million illegal immigrants living here should be put on the road to citizenship, providing they do not run afoul of the law. To expel them would be national tragedy equaling the Trail of Tears of President Jackson. However, the longterm solution and that is what really concerns us is the issue of helping Mexico and the Central American nations secure economic growth and prosperity at home
"I also agree that we should put the 10 million or 12 million people that are already here on a path to acquire citizenship. That is probably not the best solution to solve the problem, but it is the most moral solution to solve the problem. And otherwise we damage a number of industries in this country."
Supports creating a legal path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants.
"I agree with the approach that we should have guest privileges for people to come in and work in this country and then go back to their own country when their jobs are accomplished."
[Gravel] favors a guest worker program and setting up naturalization procedures that would fairly bring existing illegal immigrants into legal status.
[Gravel] supports guest worker programs.
Senator Gravel favors protecting our borders and monitoring the flow of immigrants into our country. He also favors a guest worker program and setting up naturalization procedures that would fairly bring immigrants into legal status.
[Gravel] says the construction of a border fence along the U.S.-Mexican border is a cosmetic solution.
"We're scapegoating the Latinos of our society because we as a society are failing in education, we're failing in healthcare, we're failing in our crumbling infrastructure, and we're failing by invading countries and spending our treasure," said Senaotr Gravel. "That’s what’s wrong. And so I'm ashamed as an American to be building a fence on our southern border. That's not the America that I fought for."
Q: I'll get all the candidates on record. Just -- anyone here who would close down these sanctuary cities, not allow them to exist? GRAVEL: This whole nation should be a sanctuary for the war -- for the world, and bring the people in.
"If we were to deport every illegal immigrant in this country," Gravel spoke, "it would be the worst thing in this country since the trail of tears...it would be 'Trail of Tears II." The Senator said we need to help Mexico..."they're coming here, because they know they can find jobs."
Blue State Observer, "Scones with the Senator" Jun 27, 2006
"We speak English. That doesn't mean we can't encourage other languages. I speak French and English. And people speak Spanish and English. But the official language of the United States of America is English."