Five of the seven candidates who have filed to run for the Texas 34th Congressional District Democratic primary participated in an hour-long forum on Jan. 13 organized by the nonprofit group Futuro RGV.
The candidates taking part were Laura Cisneros M.D., U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez Jr., Osbert Rodriguez Haro III, Beatriz Reynoso and Diego Zavala. Candidates Filemon Meza and William Thompson declined invitations to participate in the forum, hosted at Venture X in Brownsville.
Gonzalez, who has represented Texas District 15 in Congress for three terms, was drawn out of his district as a result of redistricting by state Republicans and has been endorsed by U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, who announced last year he would not run for reelection for District 34.
With The (McAllen) Monitor reporter Naxiely Lopez serving as moderator, the forum’s participants fielded questions on challenges facing District 34, U.S. immigration policy, the “Remain in Mexico” policy for asylum seekers, and loyalty to party versus constituents’ needs.
Questions also included what piece of legislation each candidate would first introduce upon being elected, finding common ground with Republicans, endorsements and the amount of money raised by each campaign, and their support for labor unions. Immigration was obviously a hot-button topic.
In response to the moderator’s question asking each candidate how they would help future administrations “get it right” in terms of immigration policy, Gonzalez said he has been providing the Biden administration with a South Texas perspective on the issue, and that current immigration issues are the result of a “bad immigration system” in need of reform.
“We need to (grant) immediate citizenship to the Dreamers who are here by no choice of their own, kids who are American in every way except a piece of paper,” he said. “We need to bring them into our mainstream society immediately.”
Likewise, those who have been here for years and worked hard and can be vetted should have a pathway to being here legally, which would also help solve coming labor shortages, Gonzalez said.
Rodriguez Haro said that as a congressman he would work to bring Democrats and Republicans together to solve the immigration issue.
“It’s time to stop the bickering,” he said.
Reynoso said the United States needs “an immigration policy that lives up to everything this country says that it is” and a pathway to citizenship or legal status for every Dreamer and essential worker so they can live a life of dignity and continue contributing to the economy.
Zavala said “we need to humanize this crisis” and that the security of the southern U.S. border depends on the United States help the nations immigrants are fleeing stabilize their economies and stem corruption.
“We need to put ourselves in the shoes of the families that are sending their children unaccompanied thousands of miles,” he said.
Cisneros said that if elected she would work with Republicans as well as Democrats to reform immigration for the sake of Dreamers and “other people who have become our neighbors and contribute to our society.” She pointed out that the last major immigration policy overhaul in the United States took place during the Reagan administration.
“Sad to say, we’ve had 40 years to get it right,” Cisneros said.
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