Immigration Key Topic During Oregon GOP Primary Debate

Four of the five Republicans running for Oregon’s 5^th Congressional District took to a virtual stage, last week. Those that participated agreed on a number of issues, including preserving gun rights and cutting off pandemic spending. When it comes to immigration, Laurel Roses said she supports a permanent residency program for undocumented people with no criminal record.

“They’ll never be able to apply for citizenship, and they’ll never be able to vote but they can stay here, come out of the shadows and live a happy and productive life.”

Jimmy Crumpacker, Lori Chavez-Deremer and Madison Oatman all said the answer is at the southern border.

“We need to, from a federal standpoint, increase the budget of our border security," Crumpacker noted. "We have to shut that southern border and we have to protect our borders as a sovereign nation," Chavez-Deremer said. "One policy I would support is funding border patrol. The second is finishing the wall," Oatman added.

The fifth Republican candidate, John Di Paola, was unable to attend the virtual forum.

Oregon’s primary is May 17^th. Oregon’s 5^th Congressional District covers Salem, the southern Portland suburbs stretching west to the Pacific. It’s currently represented by Democrat Kurt Schrader.

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