IMMIGRATION
HOUSE RACES
House District 1
Leslie C. Mehta (Democrat)
Campaign did not respond to information requests.
Robert J. Wittman (Republican)
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Acknowledge that the current immigration system is flawed and requires comprehensive reform to enhance safety and security.
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Emphasize the need to secure the border permanently, enforce the rule of law, and provide law enforcement with adequate resources to address illegal immigration.
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Advocate for the reinstatement of effective immigration policies, including cooperative asylum agreements, the Migrant Protection Protocols, and measures to end catch and release.
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Commit to ensuring immigration laws are enforced while recognizing the important contributions of immigrants to the nation, emphasizing the necessity for legal entry into the United States.
House District 2
Missy Cotter Smasal (Democrat)
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Emphasize that a secure border is crucial for national security, community safety, and the health of the economy.
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Discusses the negative impact of political maneuvering in Washington, resulting in chaos and inaction at the border.
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Advocate for increased technology and manpower at ports of entry to enhance border security and efficiency.
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Call for reforms to immigration courts, including more judges and streamlined processes, to create a humane and fair immigration system alongside border security.
Jen Kiggans (Republican)
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Share firsthand observations of the humanitarian and national security crisis at the southern border, emphasizing its impact on American safety and the empowerment of cartels involved in drug trafficking.
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Express commitment to working with all political affiliations—Republicans, Democrats, and Independents—to address the crisis at the southern border and curb illegal immigration.
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Advocate for restoring the rule of law and supporting law enforcement officers who risk their lives to defend and maintain border security.
Robert E. Reid Jr. (Independent)
Specific information not found.
House District 3
Robert “Bobby” C. Scott (Democrat)
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Advocate for fair and humane immigration policies that secure borders, protect citizens, and ensure the safety of those fleeing violence and oppression.
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Emphasize the importance of preventing family separations and treating all individuals seeking entry into the country with respect and dignity.
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Devoted to a commitment to working with colleagues on comprehensive immigration reform, reflecting the nation's heritage as a land of laws and immigrants, including support for the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019.
John Sitka III (Republican)
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Emphasize the need for the federal government to prioritize the safety and security of the U.S. by addressing cartel control at the southern border, which contributes to violence and crime in communities, including Virginia.
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Advocate for the reinstatement of the 2019 "Remain in Mexico" program, requiring asylum seekers to wait in Mexico during their case processing to ensure a controlled immigration process and help prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
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Call for securing borders through measures such as building a wall and significantly increasing interior enforcement to prevent the entry of terrorists, criminals, and illegal immigrants.
House District 4
Jennifer McClellan (Democrat)
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Champion protections for immigrants and new Americans by fighting for their access to voting rights and economic opportunities through legislation that enhances interpretation and translation services.
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Support initiatives to improve health care options for undocumented children and pregnant individuals, and enable undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, facilitating better integration into society.
House District 5
Gloria Tinsley Witt (D)
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Innovate immigration processing solutions to assess, relocate, employ or deport individuals.
House District 6
Ken Mitchell (Democrat)
Holds more lenient beliefs on immigration issues
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Believes that America at its core is an immigration nation.
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Wants to prioritize the economy and quality of life.
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Supports legislation permanently protecting DACA and supports an efficient pathway to citizenship.
Ben Cline (Republican)
Feels concerned about the Southern border.
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Believes that the Biden-Harris administration has failed to protect the borders and that dismantling Trump’s border policies was a detrimental mistake. Since its overturning, America has faced more drug and human trafficking.
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His main priority is securing the border.
Robert “Robby” Wells Jr. (Independent)
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Wants to quicken the immigration process
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Plans on proposing legislation to double border patrol without raising taxes.
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Says he has a plan that will provide pathways to citizenship.
House District 7
Eugene Vindman (Democrat)
Willing to help immigrant hopefuls
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Vindman is himself a refugee who came to the United States as a child.
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Knows that there are hundreds of well-educated immigrants that go to college in the U.S.
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Plans on working across the aisle to solve the immigration process as well as protect the borders.
Derrick Anderson (Republican)
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Wants to continue building a wall across the southern border
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Recently visited the southern border wall and saw the lack of security.
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Believes the United States currently has millions of illegal immigrants sneaking in, affecting the commonwealth of Virginia.
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Says that the Biden-Harris administration has implemented policies that have allowed more fentanyl to be trafficked in, killing Virginians. It is a national security issue
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Supports building a wall on the southern border, ending catch and release efforts, keeping in place the Remain in Mexico policy and funding ICE and DHS.
House District 8
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Donald Beyer Jr. (Democrat)
Plans on treating immigrants as humans
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Wants to have a “thoughtful, humane, and effective immigration system.”
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Supports immigration reform but does not want til later to fix them.
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A cosponsor of the U.S. Citizenship Act
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A cosponsor of the American Dream and Promise Act that helps Dreamers become legal citizens
Jerry Torres (Republican)
Concerned for the current state of the country
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Believes that thanks to criminal cartels, the U.S. is facing an unprecedented amount of illegal immigrants.
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Says that “2 million got-aways and over 10 million military-aged men patrolling our neighborhoods unnoticed.”
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Calls to protect our border for everyone’s personal safety by enforcing immigration law.
Bentley Hensel (Independent)
Wants to evolve the immigration process through technology
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Thinks that America’s current immigration system is outdated and inefficient and instead advocates for a new system that values transparency, efficiency and justice.
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Has a plan that will have a centralized immigration case tracking system, automate metrics and reporting regarding immigrant, and centralize data
House District 9
Karen Baker (Democrat)
Supports for a humane pathway to citizenship and alignment with labor demand
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Does not support mass deportation but wants the government to provide a humane pathway to citizenship.
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Wants immigration levels to align with labor demand and humanitarian responsibilities in a timely manner.
H. Morgan Griffith (Republican)
Thinks that vetting legal immigrants has become too difficult
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Believes some of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services rules are nitpicky.
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Supports the E-Verify system, a federal law that mandates employers higher those eligible to work legally.
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Voted for the Secure the Border Act and cosponsored the Safeguarding of Children, Unaccompanied and at Risk of Exploitation Act.
House District 10
Suhas Subramanyam (Democrat)
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Wants comprehensive reform on the immigration system, starting by securing the border and addressing overstaying visas.
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Believes that DACA recipients need employment pathways.
Mike Clancy (Republican)
Emphasizes the importance of border control
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Believes that President Biden has failed to secure the southern border, and thus, is fueling the fentanyl crisis.
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Wants to secure the border and enforce the law on those who have illegally crossed the border.
House District 11
Gerald Edward Connolly (Democrat)
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Supports reforming the immigration system
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Supports of DREAMers, wanting to protect them from deportation and codify DACA.
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Opposed Donald Trump’s suspension of DACA.
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Believes in a pathway to citizenship for pre-existing illegal immigrants, “expand H1-B visas for high-skilled foreign workers, and should guarantee visas for any foreign student who graduates from an American university”.
Michael Van Meter (Republican)
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Prioritizes “instilling safety within American citizens.”
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Van Meter thinks the border is out of control, with drugs, human trafficking and gangs being major issues.
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Plans on streamlining and modernizing the immigration system while fully vetting immigrants
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Says securing the border will also improve the economy.