Case and Keohokalole agree on ICE abuses, but differ on immigration policy
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The two candidates competing for Oahu’s urban 1st Congressional District are both critics of the Trump administration’s immigration tactics, but they differ on key enforcement policies, including border security and deportation procedures.
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Case supports some immigration crackdown measures
U.S. Rep. Ed Case said he supports securing the southern border with barriers, technology and manpower, as well as quick deportation rather than admission during the processing period and tightening asylum rules.
“So I support some of the policies that have led to our reduction in illegal entry into our country,” Case said. “I also believe that we need some federal presence to ensure that we can locate and process in a judicial manner, with all rights attended to it, and deport people that are in our country illegally.”
Case said he has co-sponsored legislation aimed at reforming U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and has opposed what he described as abuses by the agency.
“Immigration enforcement doesn’t give you a carte blanche to go out there and kill people,” Case said.
Case has been less publicly visible on the issue compared to Rep. Jill Tokuda and Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz, all of whom have made public speeches following various ICE actions.
Case has focused more on pushing change through funding and legislation.
“I have supported and I’m a co-sponsor of bills for ICE reform,” Case said, “and so I feel very strongly about it. And I have definitely opposed the abuses of ICE.”
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Keohokalole says administration targets Black and Latino immigrants
Challenger Jarrett Keohokalole said the Trump administration has militarized ICE and has wrongly focused enforcement on Black and Latino immigrants.
“We’re just executing mean-spirited racism,” Keohokalole said.
Keohokalole also said ICE resources are being diverted from higher-priority missions.
“We should also have our personnel working on going after the cartels, working on protecting us from terrorism and from human trafficking,” Keohokalole said.
Keohokalole said he does support clear immigration rules and strong enforcement, but said the current approach is flawed.
“There should be strong enforcement. There should be clear rules, and we shouldn’t have people who feel like they need to skirt the system to come into the country,” Keohokalole said.
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Keohokalole also said Case has not been vocal enough on ICE raids in Hawaii.
“He’s been silent on the ICE raids in Hawaii,” Keohokalole said.
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