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What experience has prepared you to take over leadership of the worlds fifth largest economy?I am a businessman. I have run multimillion-dollar businesses. I know how to make a business profitable. I know I can turn the State of California into becoming profitable again.

Do you believe Joe Biden was lawfully elected president? No

Should an ethnic studies course be required for high school graduation?No

Defund police? No

Should government make any vaccine mandatory, including for polio and smallpox? No

Under California law, low-income women are eligible for taxpayer-funded abortions. Do you support this? No

Should the governors emergency powers be altered, and if so, how?I believe our emergency powers have been misused. I think there should be an end date. I think there should be a limit to the emergency powers. I think we should work together for solutions and not a band-aid.

If you had $25 billion to spend on homelessness, what would you do with it? I would put this money into mental health care. With my homeless reform plan, it will NOT need $25 billion. I think the current budget needs to be put in different places to be more effective. Please visit my website for detailed information.

As governor, would you direct the state to do more to help Immigration and Customs Enforcement?Under a Martinez administration, I have an Immigration reform solution, which includes finishing the border wall, more border patrol agents, immigration reform and having everyone pay their equal share of taxes. What would you do to decrease the chance of destructive wildfires? I would bring back the lumber industry, forest management and clearing up the forest. We will never eliminate wildfires, but we can make it less destructive.

What emergency steps would you take during a drought to allocate water usage among Californians?Under a Martinez administration, I will build more dams and reservoirs. I will also work with the private sector to build more desalination plants.

Do you support Californias climate change initiatives? If no, what would you change?Climate change is extremely important. However, with forest management and my reform water solutions, under a Martinez administration, everyone will see a difference in climate change!

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Meet the other recall candidates: Diego Martinez - Los Angeles Times

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul says she and Cuomo 'have not been close'

New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul is poised to become the state's first female governor after Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned amid sexual harassment claims.

Associated Press, USA TODAY

During her time aslieutenant governor, Kathy Hochul has said its time to rethink our criminal justice system, and reiterated that shehas "evolved" from her previous push against drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants.

Now shes days away from being governor after a sexual harassment scandal resulted inthe pending resignation of her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo. Her governorship, which begins Aug. 24, will come amid a surging coronavirus delta variant, as well as its ensuing social and economic upheaval all of which have disproportionately impacted communities of color.

Despite her prior stance on driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants, many advocates hope Hochul will pursue a robust agenda, including racial justice and parole and immigration reform.

And many of those same voices view Hochul with much more optimism than Cuomo, who signed bail reform and whose administration oversaw several prison closuresbut who has been criticized for being unrelenting toward his opponents.

New York is at a crossroads, said Gabriel Sayegh, co-executive director of the Katal Center for Equity, Health, and Justice. We have an opportunity in New York to pursue an agenda on equity, an agenda on healthcare reform and justice reform.

In the past, Hochul has supported many measures put forth by the Cuomo administration as his lieutenant.

In a July interview with WBFO-FM, she said bail reform enacted under the Cuomo administration created a fairer criminal-justice system but said there may need to be adjustments to the law, which eliminated cash bail for many misdemeanors and non-violent felonies.

Think about the system that existed in this state prior to our reforms, where two individuals are accused of the exact same offense. One ends up going free walking the streets, the other incarcerated. The only difference: whether one was rich or poor, whether they had the money to make bail, she told the news outlet. So that is no longer the system in the state of New York. I think most people agree that that is a fairer system.

Hochuls support forrepealing thewalking while trans ban was key to getting it taken off the books, said New York Civil Liberties Union Policy Counsel Jared Trujillo.

Passed in 1976, the prior law allowed authorities to halt people loitering for prostitution. But it was frequently usedto discriminate against transgender people, repeal advocates said.

Trujillo hopes Hochul'sadvocacy on the repealis indicative of her desire to weigh in on the criminal legal system with an understanding of intersectionality.

Im hopeful based upon the work that she did on walking while trans and really her ability to see that criminal legal system issues arent just criminal legal system issues, he said. Theyre also immigration issues, and economic issues, and family issues, and just a number of other things that really support the entire human.

More: Kathy Hochul: Five challenges facing the incoming NY governor

On the anniversary of George Floyd's death, Hochultweeted, It's on all of us to recognize, step up and confront the systemic racism, inequalities and injustices in our society.

And when police shoved protestor Martin Gugino in her native Buffalo, leaving him injured, Hochul told WAMC the incident was a difficult sight.

During the interview, she added, this is the time to think about reform and the role of policing in communities.

Reform is always tough, she told WAMC. Its always resisted, but it has to happen.

Hochul could not be reached for comment for this article.

Hochul will nowdefine her path, though there could be some approved reform bills from Cuomo's time in office that will be waiting for her when she becomes governor.

One such bill may bethe Less IsMore Act, which would allowthose on parole who are accused of non-criminal technical violations to be issued a violation and a date to appear instead of being taken into custody. The bill has gotten support from a wide coalition, including several faith leaders and district attorneys from across the state.

More: Kathy Hochul vows to run for election next year and says mask mandates in schools likely

But Cuomo has not signed the measure into law, said Sayegh of the Katal Center, a leading organization behind the proposal.Sayeghhopes Hochul will sign it if Cuomo doesnt,and that shell gofurther.

Other legislation that could be waiting for Hochuls approval includes the Start Act. The measure would allow sex trafficking survivors to ask the court to clear convictions for offenses resulting from being trafficked and ensure their information is kept private, advocates say.

We would hope that Governor Hochul would step in and tacklethose problems with real energy and to work with New Yorkers who are impacted by these issues, he said. And, really try to advance policies that are focused on equity and trying to unravel the injustice that becomes too familiar."

"We'll celebrate her when we think she is doing right," he said. "We'll challenge her where we think she's not."

"We're not taking anything for granted," he added.

Jose Saldana, of theRelease Aging People in Prison campaign, orRAPP, hasbeen trying to get parole reform passed; last year, his organizationthrew its support behind several measures, including two parole reform bills.

More: Kathy Hochul says she's ready to become NY governor: 'I will fight like hell for you'

Neither of the two passed.Saldana said that thousands of families with incarcerated loved ones are "counting" on Hochul to take a standon mass incarceration by granting more clemencies and supporting parole reforms.

Saldanais hopeful that his mission to stop people from languishing in prisons will have better chances under a Hochul administration.

"Tens of thousands of families with incarcerated loved ones across the state are counting on incoming Gov. Hochul to turn the page on this ugly chapter in our history that we call mass incarceration by expanding the use of clemencies and promoting fair and common-sense parole reforms," he said.

Hochul said in a press conferencethat she's still building her senior staff and said that she'll lay out her vision for the state shortly after becoming governor.

Eddie Taveras, state immigration director of pro-immigration group FWD.us, said having diversity among Hochulsstaff is an early indicator of where she stands.

More: David Paterson's advice for Gov. Kathy Hochul. What she should do first

Another will be how her administration handles the distributionof money for the Excluded WorkerFund, a $2.1 billion fund meant toassistmany joblessimmigrant workers who were excluded from unemployment benefits during the pandemic.

"I go into this moment with more of an open mind and hoping that she takes this opportunityto redefine what she stands for and how inclusive immigrant and immigrant communities will be a part of that," Taverassaid.

But Hochuls past stance against giving driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants as Erie County clerk still resonates with some. She was against former Gov. Eliot Spitzer's proposal in 2007 to grant licenses to undocumented immigrants and said she would have them arrested if they applied for one in Erie County.

Later, in 2019, she penned an opinion piece in support of the Green Light Law. The law, signed by Cuomo, ultimately allowedundocumented immigrants to apply for New York driver's licenses, 12 years after Spitzer's initial push.

I had taken a position that has now evolved, Hochul said at an Aug. 11 news conference.And that evolution coincides with the evolution of many people."

More: How do you pronounce Hochul? Here's the trick NY's incoming governor uses

Taveras said he would also like her administration toshepherd legislation that would help immigrants economically, such as allowing them to get occupational licenses and addressing language barriers.

Still, Taveras said, "We'llproceed with caution." Hochul's actions in the next few months, he said, "will really determine her incoming legacy."

Tiffany Cusaac-Smith covers race and justice for the USA TODAY Network of New York. Click here for her latest stories. Follow her on Twitter @T_Cusaac.

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Kathy Hochul's stance on criminal justice, immigration reform - The Journal News

Even before the coronavirus crisis, the United States suffered from decades of sluggish economic growth, fueled in part by mounting inequality.

But our past doesnt have to be our future. Just last week, Congress took a monumental step toward charting a new course for the country and creating a new era of shared prosperity and robust economic growth, as the Senate passed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and JOBS Act alongside a $3.5 trillion budget plan to enact the presidents Build Back Better agenda.

Together these plans tackle some of our countrys most important sources of stagnating growth and inequality by creating good union jobs to fix our crumbling infrastructure, ensuring access to paid family leave, and fixing the tax code so millionaires and billionaires finally pay their fair share.

A reconciliation bill, which can pass with a simple majority vote, is needed to jump-start the administrations vision for an economic recovery that is just, robust, and equitable.

Notably, and sensibly, the proposed budget framework that passed the Senate also included $107 billion dollars in funding toward immigration initiatives, including the creation of a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrantsan important economic policy that is essential for U.S. economic growth and recovery.

The momentum for a pathway to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants, Temporary Protected Status holders, and the millions of essential workers who have kept our country running during this pandemic, has been building, and while there are important moral and social implications in finding a solution, immigration reform is also an economic imperative, because immigration reform is an economic growth policy.

Providing a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status-eligible individuals, and undocumented essential workers would boost the U.S. gross domestic product by a cumulative $1.5 trillion over 10 years, create more than 400,000 new jobs, and increase wages for all workers, certainly for those eligible but also by an average of $600 for all other workers, according to a study by Center for American Progress and the University of California Davis Global Migration Center.

Undocumented immigrants have long played an outsize role in boosting the U.S. economy, and this was especially true during the pandemic. Nearly three in four undocumented workers, an estimated 5 million in total, served the country as essential workers on the front lines of the nations pandemic response.

They are the health-care workers and first responders providing medical care, the farmworkers harvesting fields, the custodial staff keeping hospitals and schools sanitized, they are the home health and personal aides taking care of our loved ones, and the construction laborers building and maintaining critical infrastructure projects. They also play a vital role in the construction sector that we are counting on to rebuild our countrys roads and bridgesmore than one of every 10 construction workers is undocumented.

Yet, despite their large contributions to this country and its economy, undocumented workers remain in the shadows, waiting for the opportunity to unleash their full potential as formal members of the U.S. economy and society. A path to citizenship for undocumented workers would not only give families the certainty of remaining together in the country that they have long called home, but it would also boost our economy, generate new jobs, and benefit all Americans.

Despite having broad public support, bipartisan efforts at reform and a pathway to citizenship have failed again and again, often due to congressional Republicans political intransigence to overwhelmingly popular solutions. Its been more than 30 years since Congress last passed meaningful reforms to our nations immigration system, but Democratic lawmakers today have a unique opportunity to use the budget reconciliation process to enact these long overdue protections for undocumented immigrants and their families.

By including immigration-related provisions in their Build Back Better reconciliation package, Senate Democrats have a viable path to finally granting a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, farmworkers, and undocumented essential workers. Following a recent negative court ruling against the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, Congress is already facing growing urgency to enact permanent protections to the nations Dreamers.

While a bipartisan deal on infrastructure represents a critical step in President Joe Bidens Build Back Better agenda, a reconciliation bill, which can pass with a simple majority vote, is needed to jump-start the administrations vision for an economic recovery that is just, robust, and equitable. Such a bill could substantially improve the lives of working families, particularly as the country seeks to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and its widespread economic fallout.

But you cant build back better without immigrants. As Congress and the Biden administration work together to address the coronavirus pandemic and work toward building a just and equitable recovery, a pathway to citizenship via budget reconciliation is a unique tool that Congress can and must use.

Claudia Flores is the associate director forpolicy and strategy and Nicole Prchal Svajlenka is the associate director for research with the immigration policy program at the Center for American Progress.

Original post:
A pathway to citizenship could create 400,000 new jobs, but only if Congress acts - MarketWatch

Capitol Hill Attorney Debra Dixon recently joined host Jim OBrien on The Political Life podcast to discuss immigration, politics, and her new job as a principal at Ferox Strategies, a bipartisan government relations firm.

Dixon worked for former Congressman Xavier Becerra of California as his chief of staff. Becerra is now serving as the 25th U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Dixon said she was working under Becerra at a time when there was an opportunity to reform the countrys immigration laws, but then the 9/11 terrorist attacks happened. People became more afraid of others coming into the country from other parts of the world who may want to do us harm.

Dixons parents her mother grew up in Illinois and her father in Panama met in Ecuador. The family, which includes Dixons older brother, was living in Panama when they decided to move to the U.S.

She said any meaningful reform needs to be a bipartisan effort. The $3.5 trillion budget recently passed by the U.S. Senate includes a proposal that would provide legal permanent status to immigrants who qualify.

In addition to working with Becerra, Dixon has also worked as Immigration Counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice and as Chief of Staff at the Department of Educations Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development.

Dixon became a principal at Ferox Strategies, a boutique government relations firm in Washington.

Listen to the podcast below:

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Capitol Hill Veteran Discusses Immigration Reform on Podcast | The CTNewsJunkie Directory - CT News Junkie

The U.S. Senate last week unveiled a budget framework that establishes lawful permanent status for qualified immigrants. After years of stagnation, it presents a moment of hope for millions of undocumented immigrants working without legal status in the fields and in the service industry and in construction and elsewhere across this country. Only time will tell whether it will lead to real change. But as members of Congress work out the details, there are things you and I can do to help build and drive momentum. Here are three.

Call your representative. No matter the issue, the people we elect to office should be our first line of contact on matters that are important to us and our communities. They want to know what their constituents, (thats us), feel about a topic. So, call their offices locally or in Washington D.C. and share your thoughts. As lawyers, our voices can help make the difference when our clients are afraid to share their stories publicly for fear of reprisal. Or maybe youre not an immigration lawyer, but a family member or friend of an undocumented immigrant or perhaps youre helping in other ways, through advocacy or direct assistance. Show your support; be that voice. Call or email your Congressional representative and share your point of view. Heres a link to find and connect with your representative.

Ask your clients to share their stories. There is much fear within the immigrant community, especially among those who are undocumented. Understandably, there is fear in publicly sharing stories. But without those stories, the average person who doesnt think about immigration on a regular basis cannot fully appreciate why immigration reform is important. Help immigrants understand how to better, and more safely and effectively, share their experiences. Maybe you are helping a business owned by an undocumented immigrant who has created jobs for Americans. Have them describe how that helps the local economy. Or maybe your client is from a mixed-status family, with a U.S. citizen spouse or U.S. citizen children. Help people understand how their leaving the U.S. would tear that family apart.

Share your opinions in your local publications. Letters to the editors can be impactful and, indeed, an effective advocacy tool for busy lawyers. Most local newspapers will welcome your thoughts in 200-word letters. This type of advocacy can be quite efficient as it allows you to share your thoughts and opinions on a complicated matter across the broad segment of the population. You are used to writing lengthy briefs and memos, anyway, so such letters will not be particularly onerous on your time. If even a fraction of us did it, I have no doubt it would be impactful for raising voices, showing support, and even educating people through different perspectives.

While President Joe Biden has kept his promise to introduce a bill for comprehensive immigration reform, the future of that bill is less than certain. However, Congress is obligated to address the nations budget, and now it appears using that process to help solve our chronic immigration problem is possible.

Tahmina Watsonis the founding attorney ofWatson Immigration Lawin Seattle, where she practices US immigration law focusing on business immigration. She has been blogging about immigration law since 2008 and has written numerous articles in many publications. She is the author ofLegal Heroes in the Trump Era: Be Inspired. Expand Your Impact. Changethe WorldandThe Startup Visa: Key to Job Growth and Economic Prosperity in America.She is also the founder of The Washington Immigrant Defense Network (WIDEN), which funds and facilitates legal representation in the immigration courtroom, and co-founder ofAirport Lawyers, which provided critical services during the early travel bans. Tahmina is regularly quoted in the media and is the host of the podcastTahmina Talks Immigration. She was recently honored by the Puget Sound Business Journal as one of the 2020 Women of Influence. You can reach her by email attahmina@watsonimmigrationlaw.comor follow her on Twitter at @tahminawatson.

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Time To Step Up Your Advocacy On Immigration - Above the Law