California’s US Senate candidates debate minimum wage, immigration and more

California politics are not immune from debates over immigration.  Last night, contenders in the race for the open U.S. Senate seat sparred on the issue.  And there were differences of opinion.

With three weeks to go until the primary election, the top four candidates for California’s open U.S. Senate seat met again debated to make their cases for representing the state.  Democratic Representatives Adam Schiff, Katie Porter, and Barbara Lee as well as Republican ex-Los Angeles Dodger and San Diego Padre Dodger Steve Garvey spent the evening discussing issues like immigration, housing and the economy. 

On the border, all candidates agreed with a need for change, but their proposed plans of action were divided along predictable partisan lines.

Republican Steve Garvey squarely pointed the blame for the state of the border at President Joe Biden:

“The president opened the floodgates and created a crisis in the United States. He should be the one to step up and close the border; he should be the one that stops the infiltration of the cartels and stops rampant drugs coming into this country from China.”

The Democratic candidates criticized the approach of former President Donald Trump and Republican governors toward the migrant crisis.

“I don’t agree with draconian solutions. I don’t agree with Mr. Garvey, who is promoting Donald Trump’s border wall,” said Adam Schiff. “That doesn’t work.”   Schiff called for an increase of immigration judges who can process asylum claims.

Katie Porter said she supports deploying more resources and personnel to the border, including technology that would make it easier to detect fentanyl and other illegal goods.