2024 presidential candidates on immigration

2024 presidential candidates on the issues

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Presidential election
Presidential candidates
Republican nomination

Democratic nomination

This page includes statements from the 2024 presidential candidates on immigration. These statements were compiled from each candidate's official campaign website, editorials, speeches, and debates.

The candidates featured on this page were the noteworthy Democratic and Republican candidates in the 2024 presidential election. Only candidates who addressed this page's issue on their campaign website, in public statements, or in public speeches have a quote featured on this page. See something we missed? Email us. The active noteworthy presidential candidates as of November 5, 2025, were:

Kamala Harris (D)
Donald Trump (R)
Chase Oliver (L)
Jill Stein (G)

Immigration

Democratic candidates

Joe Biden

In a campaign speech Biden said, "On my first day in office as President, I introduced a comprehensive plan to fix our immigration system, secure our border, provide a pathway for citizenship for DREAMers and their families — farmworkers, essential workers who helped us through the pandemic and are part of the fabric of our community." ^{[source, as of 2024-03-11]}

Kamala D. Harris

Harris' campaign website said, "Vice President Harris and Governor Walz believe in tough, smart solutions to secure the border, keep communities safe, and reform our broken immigration system. As Attorney General of California, Vice President Harris went after international drug gangs, human traffickers and cartels that smuggled guns, drugs, and human beings across the U.S.-Mexico border. As Vice President, she supported the bipartisan border security bill, the strongest reform in decades. The legislation would have deployed more detection technology to intercept fentanyl and other drugs and added 1,500 border security agents to protect our border. After Donald Trump killed the border deal for his political gain, she and President Biden took action on their own—and now border crossings are at the lowest level in 4 years, their administration is seizing record amounts of fentanyl, and secured funding for the most significant increase in border agents in ten years. As President, she will bring back the bipartisan border security bill and sign it into law. At the same time, she knows that our immigration system is broken and needs comprehensive reform that includes strong border security and an earned pathway to citizenship." ^{[source, as of 2024-09-09]}

Dean Phillips

Phillips' campaign website said, "My family came to this country for the same reasons as many others: for opportunity and a place of refuge from persecution. The America I know and love is a compassionate America that values and welcomes hard-working people who come here with big dreams and a simple wish for safety and opportunity. This is not a Republican or Democratic issue. It is a human issue—and an economic issue—and we must do better." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-19]}

Marianne Williamson

Williamson's campaign website said, "Immigrants are not our enemies. I don’t know any progressive who is arguing for open borders, but we are arguing for open hearts. This is so important to remember today as immigrants are often viciously scapegoated. Scapegoating immigrants, particularly Mexicans and Central Americans, is a deliberate dehumanization technique. Dehumanizing others has always been the required first step leading toward history’s collective atrocities. This is not the first time dehumanization has reared its head in our nation, and we must stand up against it now as other generations stood up against it in their time." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-19]}

Republican candidates

Ryan Binkley

Binkley's campaign website said, "My plan deploys physical barriers, tactical infrastructure, technology, and personnel along the border where it is most effective. Specifically, it authorizes at least $35 billion in funding to enhance and improve infrastructure and technology between and at ports of entry. It also reforms the U.S. asylum system to make a final determination of asylum eligibility for most asylum seekers at the border within 60 days. The plan provides Dreamers, including DACA recipients, and certain Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders with an opportunity to adjust to lawful status. It also establishes the Dignity Program, which provides undocumented immigrants with an opportunity to obtain legal status if they meet certain requirements. [...] The plan updates aspects of the U.S. legal immigration system with an aim towards protecting family unity, reducing backlogs, and improving employment-based opportunities." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-19]}

Ron DeSantis

DeSantis campaign website said, "This epic failure to reclaim our sovereignty has caused harms that touch millions of Americans in their daily lives. Public safety has suffered. [...] Illegal immigration has also hollowed out the wages of the American working class. [...] Mass illegal immigration is also fundamentally unfair to immigrants who make their way to the United States legally." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-19]}

Nikki Haley

In a Republican debate Haley said, "So first of all, what I said is all of the seven or 8 million illegals that have come under Biden’s watch absolutely have to go back. We have to stop the incentive of what’s bringing them over here in the first place. [...] You have to go and deport these people, so they know it can’t happen again. For those that have been here longer than that, we’ve got to start seeing, who is it? How long have they been here? Have they been vetted? Have they paid taxes? Have they been working? And figure out who else is out there. But what I know is my parents came here legally, they put in the time, they put in the price, they are offended by those that are coming illegally. We can’t let them skip the line." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-06]}

Asa Hutchinson

Hutchinson's campaign website listed the following policy, "Prioritze securing the border and dismantling the cartels. My first trip as President outside the country will be to Mexico to build a stronger partnership to go after the cartels, to strengthen the rule of law, and to establish cooperation in reducing the unauthorized migrant flow into the United States while improving the legal immigration processing that is currently broken." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-19]}

Vivek Ramaswamy

In a Republican debate, Ramaswamy said, "Militarize the southern border, stop funding sanctuary cities and end foreign aid to Mexico and Central America to end the incentives to come across. [...] I favor ending birthright citizenship for the kids of illegal immigrants in this country." ^{[source, as of 2023-09-27]}

Donald Trump

Trump's campaign website said, "President Trump will shut down Biden’s border disaster. He will again end catch-and-release, restore Remain in Mexico, and eliminate asylum fraud. In cooperative states, President Trump will deputize the National Guard and local law enforcement to assist with rapidly removing illegal alien gang members and criminals. He will also deliver a merit-based immigration system that protects American labor and promotes American values." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-21]}