While Republicans debate immigration at length in their debates, moderators for the Democratic debates have mostly left immigration — one of the most controversial and central issues of this cycle — aside.
John Locher / AP
Last week, Republicans debated immigration policy at length — a frequent feature of the party's debates over the last year. Meanwhile, Democrats have not discussed immigration during their last two debates.
But immigration remains one of — if not the — defining issue of this election cycle. The Republicans have moved rightward; the Democrats have moved leftward. And there are major policy differences between not just the two parties, but within them.
Left unasked are questions like the following ones, drawn from conversations with operatives close to each campaign, as well as advocates and leaders who work with business, faith, tech, labor, and undocumented immigrant groups.
Clinton and Sanders have said they would go further on executive actions on immigration if Congress will not work on a legislative solution. But Obama's latest actions are stuck in court. How can they go farther than Obama? How will they work with GOP?
"The big takeaway thus far has been that making big immigration promises without a strategy to pass legislation will not pass muster," said Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, which works with business, law enforcement, and faith leaders.
If a legislative solution comes first, how will Clinton and Sanders get Congress to work with them?
"You can't fix the entire immigration system through executive action," he said. "At some point you need to govern."
"What would you do to get Congress to act on immigration reform?" said NCLR president Janet Murguia. "How would you bring them to the table, particularly given the dynamics in the House?"
Gerald Herbert / AP
Clinton has said she would stop taking donations from lobbyists for the private prison business, and donated $8,600 in contributions to charity. But what about the money bundled by a former lobbyist for the industry?
For-profit prisons and detention centers house undocumented immigrants. Clinton said she would phase out detention centers and adopted the policy after pressure from groups and a meeting with the organization Color of Change.
But Politico reported that Richard Sullivan who was until November a federally registered lobbyist for "for-profit prison operator GEO Group-bundled $69,363 in donations for Clinton in the fourth quarter, bringing his total for the year to a whopping $274,891."
The campaign policy rejecting donations from the private prison business only includes direct donations to Clinton's campaign. Should it extend to lobbyists who fundraise, too?
Ricardo Arduengo / AP
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