As an immigrant who came to the United States legally with his mother and was given the opportunity to achieve the American Dream, Dr Garcia believes wholeheartedly in welcoming people via legal immigration.
He would also work to deal with people who are here illegally, but who are contributing to the community and obeying all other laws; while he doesn’t believe they should be immediately rewarded with citizenship for having broken immigration law, he would support reforms that allow them to be here without constantly looking over their shoulders and fearing deportation. He also believes that the “Dreamers,” who came here as children and who bear no responsibility for the actions of their parents or guardians who came here illegally, should absolutely be protected from deportation.
Any immigration reforms, however, must also tackle the serious issue of illegal immigration and border security. Chaos on our borders, particularly our southern border, is causing great damage to our country and our people. Criminals, drug traffickers, human and sex traffickers, and other unvetted persons have been allowed to enter the United States. Almost all of the illegal fentanyl seized by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol is at the southern border – and who knows how much gets through undetected. This is not a Republican or a Democratic issue – it’s an American issue, a national security issue, and a public safety issue.