Arizona governor candidates weigh in on immigration

Arizona voters will get to decide in November whether they want to elect a governor who leads the state in the same tough-on-immigration path or a governor who directs the state in a new direction.

For the last fiver years, Arizona residents have been governed by Republican Gov. Jan Brewer, who quickly rose to national prominence in 2010 when she signed one of the nation’s toughest immigration laws, better known as SB 1070.

Now that she is not seeking re-election, a number of candidates — mostly Republicans — are lining up to take her seat. Among them is the former CEO of Cold Stone Creamery, a former executive of GoDaddy, a former California congressman and a mayor.

Arizona governor candidates’ stance on immigration

Eight of the candidates running for Arizona governor participated in a forum hosted earlier this week by the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Immigration was one of the hot topics.

The candidates discussed everything from securing the border and SB 1070 to Brewer’s executive order that denies driver’s licenses to Dreamers benefiting from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Here is some of what each candidate said on immigration:

Scott Smith, Republican

Smith, the mayor of Mesa and one of the leading Republican contenders, said immigration is an issue the state must address.

“Arizona has paid the highest cost for a system that’s broken,” he said. “I believe we can be the leaders in fixing the system.”

Smith said he wants to deal with immigration in a way that both enforces the law and doesn’t lessen people’s constitutional rights. On border security, he said he supports putting more troops on the ground as well as reducing organized crime and human smuggling.

Using an analogy of going to a restaurant, Smith described Brewer’s ban on driver’s licenses for DACA recipients as the bread “that sort of keeps you happy until the main course comes.”

“I’m for the main course,” he said. “The main course is to fix a system that’s broken, a system that has a hard time maintaining the rule of law.”

Fred DuVal, Democrat

DuVal, the only Democrat running for governor, offered a different tone on immigration.

He said SB 1070 caused “irreparable harm” to the state and was the only candidate who said he wouldn’t have signed the bill into law.

His immigration plan includes repealing Brewer’s order that prohibits DACA recipients from getting driver’s licenses and pushing for in-state tuition for undocumented students.

“It is very important that we do that both because it is right, because these are our kids who are trying to get to work, trying to be productive citizens, and because it is part of reintroducing Arizona as a place of inclusiveness to the rest of the country,” he said.

DuVal added that he wants to build “a robust commercial relationship with Mexico” and work with other governors to come up with an immigration strategy that addresses border security, the economic needs of border states and the immigration status of undocumented immigrants.

Christine Jones, Republican

Jones, former executive vice president of GoDaddy, said securing the border is a top priority.

She wants to secure the border by adding more troops on the ground and improving technology. She also wants to go after drug trafficking and human smuggling, two things she said are “causing our citizens to live in danger.”

“If we do that then we can probably have a conversation about what do we do with the people who are here,” she said, referring to undocumented immigrants. “There are millions upon millions of people living in the shadows in this country who want to come out and live in the light, and we should let them get in the light.”

Jones said she doesn’t think Congress will pass an immigration reform bill any time soon and suggested that state leaders should work with members of Arizona’s congressional delegation “to make some progress” on the issue.

Ken Bennett, Republican

Bennett, who currently serves as Arizona secretary of state, said SB 1070 grew out of a state that was frustrated with the federal government’s failure to address illegal immigration.

Going forward, he said the state needs an improved immigration system that allows immigrants to come into the country through the “front door.”

“These people should be coming in and going through the front door, but we have to control the border,” he insisted. “A good neighbor doesn’t hop over the fence and break into the garage and live out of your freezer.”

Bennett added that he supports a “mechanism” that allows undocumented immigrants “to get square with the law.” This includes having them pay fines and penalties, as well requiring them to “get in the back of the line” to seek citizenship.

When asked about driver’s licenses and in-state tuition for Dreamers, he said the only people who should have access to those state benefits are Arizona residents who have a legal status.

Doug Ducey, Republican

Ducey, Arizona state treasurer and former CEO of Cold Stone Creamery, said that by not doing enough to address illegal immigration, the federal government is failing “to protect its citizens.”

His immigration plan includes focusing efforts on going after the drug cartels and human trafficking.

He also said that while it’s important to maximize trade and tourism with Mexico, it’s also critical for the state to identify the issues that are affecting Arizona residents due to the federal government’s failure to address illegal immigration.

“I think we hurt ourselves if we don’t keep the focus on what we deal with as a border state everyday,” he said.

Like the other Republican candidates, Ducey said he supports Brewer’s order prohibiting DACA recipients from getting driver’s licenses.

“We are a nation of immigrants, but we are also a nation of laws,” he said.

Andrew Thomas, Republican

Thomas, the former Maricopa County attorney who was disbarred over ethical violations in 2012, said that if Arizona wants to “go back to the good old days when illegal immigrants were leaving” the state, voters should elect him.

Thomas helped craft SB 1070. When he served as Maricopa County attorney and before he was disbarred, Thomas joined forces with Sheriff Joe Arpaio to detain and prosecute undocumented immigrants.

“When Sheriff Arpaio and I were enforcing the law, illegals were fleeing the state. That is a fact,” he said. “Now they stay and they protest. And that is a shame.”

Thomas added that if the state doesn’t do more to secure the border and go after undocumented immigrants, Arizona residents are “going to continue to see our economy and our way of life threatened.” He also said other issues — like education and the economy — are “meaningless” if the border is not secured.

“We need a governor who has the passion and the experience of stopping illegal immigration,” he said, suggesting he’s the best candidate to do that.

Barry Hess, Libertarian

Hess, the only Libertarian candidate, said he wants to create a system that allows international workers to come across the border to work legally.

“I think that everybody should be able to work to feed their families and to seek opportunities,” he said.

Hess also said he feels “sympathy” for undocumented immigrants who come to the U.S. seeking jobs and that he doesn’t believe they are “stealing our jobs.”

He said that creating a system that allows immigrants to come work would reduce the number of immigrants who die in the desert trying to get to the United States. “That to me is a moral problem,” he said of immigrants dying in the desert.

Hess concluded by saying that the immigration debate should focus on “stimulating the economy and creating an opportunity where everybody can benefit economically without any interference from the government.”

Frank Riggs, Republican

Riggs, a former California congressman and an Army veteran, spoke about the importance of upholding the rule of law.

“Anyone that aspires to a position of high-elected office is first and foremost held to their oath of office,” he said “And that oath of office requires you, by your personal example and by your every word indeed, to demonstrate respect for the rule of law and to uphold the rule of law.”

Highlighting his background in law enforcement and the military, Riggs said he “absolutely” supports the provision in SB 1070 that allows police officers to arrest individuals suspected to be in the country illegally. He also said he supports the law’s provision that punishes employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers.

Furthermore, Riggs said he doesn’t think DACA recipients should be able to get driver’s licenses. However, he said he is in favor of allowing undocumented youth to enlist in the military.