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Mike Pence on Immigration

Hardline border security advocate (strong)

TL;DR

Mike Pence strongly advocates for securing the southern border with a wall and enforcing strict immigration policies consistent with the Trump administration.

Key Points

  • He supported building a wall along the entire southern border and enforcing mandatory nationwide E-verify systems.

  • Pence announced in 2022 that he would not revive the family separation policy at the border if elected president.

  • In 2006, he voted in favor of the Immigration Law Enforcement Act, affirming the authority of state and local police to assist in immigration enforcement.

Summary

Mike Pence’s core position on immigration centers on the declaration that border security is national security, a stance he promoted heavily during a 2022 visit to the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona. His agenda for the border explicitly called for finishing the construction of the former President’s border wall, eliminating sanctuary cities, and recommitting to the “Remain in Mexico” policy which requires asylum seekers to wait outside the U.S. for case processing. Furthermore, he supports the deportation of any migrant who has entered the U.S. illegally and has rejected calls for amnesty for undocumented immigrants.

His past actions and proposals reflect this tough stance; while in Congress, he supported legislation like the Secure Fence Act of 2006 and opposed the executive actions on immigration taken by a previous president in 2014. His proposed “Pence Plan” included securing the border first before implementing a guest worker program and required undocumented workers seeking to re-enter via that program to briefly depart the U.S. He has also affirmed his support for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees against political criticism, emphasizing their role in national safety and the rule of law.

Key Quotes

“Along our 2,000 mile border is a crisis of epic proportions, and it's costing lives on both sides of the border,”

Frequently Asked Questions

Mike Pence strongly advocates for robust border enforcement, viewing it as essential for national security. His position aligns with policies that prioritize finishing the border wall, increasing deportations, and ending practices like sanctuary cities. He maintains a firm stance against granting amnesty to those who entered the country illegally.

While his core principles of strict enforcement remain consistent, there has been some evolution regarding specific enforcement tactics. For example, Pence stated in 2022 that he would not revive the policy of family separations at the border, despite strongly supporting Trump-era policies overall.

Mike Pence has expressed his commitment to recommitting to the Trump administration's “Remain in Mexico” policy. He views this as a necessary tool to manage the flow of asylum seekers at the southern border. He emphasized this position while outlining his border agenda in 2022.