In January 2024, Chicago Sun-Times/WBEZ editors emailed a questionnaire to candidates in contested Illinois March 19 primary races for Congress, requesting biographical information as well as their views on issues ranging from the Israel-Hamas conflict and the migrant crisis to the country’s economy. Answers have been lightly edited for typos, minor grammar and consistency in styling, but not for content or length. Age was calculated as of Feb. 6, 2024.
Jesus “Chuy” Garcia: I support humanitarian assistance and continue to urge an immediate ceasefire. The U.S. must reckon with its role in the deaths of over 25,000 people, including over 8,000 innocent children. We saw what was possible with a few days of ceasefire: lives were saved and hostages released. I have advocated for several measures to bring stability and peace, including immediate access to basic services, food, and medical supplies. I also continue to ask for a permanent ceasefire, as I have since my first statement on the matter in October.
Jesus “Chuy” Garcia: Millions have been displaced from their homes and thousands have lost their lives as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Since 2022, I’ve been supportive of emergency relief for the Ukrainian people through military and refugee assistance including basic services, food, and medical supplies. I believe Ukraine has the right to reclaim the occupied territory and have a sustainable recovery. To that end, I introduced the Ukraine Comprehensive Debt Payment Relief Act, which passed the House, to direct the World Bank, IMF, and other financial institutions to immediately suspend Ukraine’s debt payments. This proposal was included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which became law. I continue to support humanitarian assistance and continue to urge for an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine.
Jesus “Chuy” Garcia: The greatest threat to American Democracy is the extremism and misinformation from Republican leaders and their base. The world was witness to what happens when clouds of misinformation coupled with dangerous, inciteful language are propelled by autocratic-like people, like Donald Trump. The legitimacy of our electoral process and institutions are under question as a result of false claims from Trump and his supporters. In Congress, I voted twice to impeach Trump — but we know he did not act alone during the Jan. 6 attack. The inability to fully hold him and other perpetrators accountable continues to not only be a stain on our history, but a real continued threat to our government and electoral systems. I took an oath of office to defend the U.S. Constitution and our democracy against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and will continue my commitment.
Jesus “Chuy” Garcia: From Chicago’s foundation by Haitian immigrant Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable to its model sanctuary city ordinance, Chicagoans have valued and welcomed people. Whether it was the Irish, Italian, Chinese, or Mexican immigrants, African-Americans fleeing Jim Crow laws in the South, and most recently Ukrainian and Afghan refugees — we’ve figured out how to facilitate a humane and safe transition. The recent surge of migrants, primarily from South America, has been weaponized by Republicans preying on people’s needs, fear, and desperation. To combat this and offer alternatives, I have been fighting for immigration reform in Congress as well as additional funding.
In December 2022, I led efforts with my colleagues from DC, New York, and Boston to request additional shelter funding — we secured $800 million in FEMA funding to alleviate local efforts. In addition to this, I’ve also partnered with small businesses and colleagues from other states to call for regulatory change in work permits to expedite applications and fill the millions of job vacancies across the U.S. In addition, I’ve led efforts with Illinois state and local elected officials to call on the Biden administration for parole in place, work permits, shelter funding, legal assistance funding, and permanent residency for eligible immigrants. Moreover, I’ve also advocated for regulatory changes to current federal funding to ensure citizenship is not a barrier to government services and access, like housing programs.
Jesus “Chuy” Garcia: It’s been over 36 years since any meaningful reform — all the while, enforcement has increased, and we haven’t addressed the root causes of migration like violence, corruption, climate change, and poverty. U.S. foreign policy has displaced thousands from their home countries. I have been working with my colleagues in the CHC and CPC, as well as local leaders and organizations, to address our broken immigration system for long-term and recent immigrants. In the House, we passed several immigration bills, but they were stuck in the Senate. Now, in the minority, we need executive action.
We need the Biden administration to take action for long-term and recent migrants: protect DACA, expand access to work permits and parole, change the registry dates to expand permanent status, and keep the path to citizenship a viable opportunity, while also increasing funding to support all immigrants. Long-term immigrants contribute over $330 billion in federal taxes, yet they have no path to citizenship or a permanent solution. Immigrants have delivered for our country; it’s time we delivered for them!
Jesus “Chuy” Garcia: In my time in Congress, I’ve been critical about our bloated defense budget. In 2023, under Republican leadership, Congress cut life-and-cost-saving programs to instead bolster defense spending. For instance, Congress failed to expand monthly refundable Child Tax Credits (CTC) and Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC), even though we know CTC reduced child poverty by 30% and EITC helped about 17 million workers. Expanding CTC and EITC will help not only lower poverty but also provide economic stability for families and reduce reliance on other government assistance programs. That being said, I’d first reduce defense spending and then invest in poverty-reducing programs.
We can also reduce our deficit by bolstering the economy through investment in job creation, as we have done through the Infrastructure and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Through dedicated and targeted job creation, we can increase individual economic mobility and broader development.
That includes passing and implementing long-awaited changes to the workforce via immigration reform — an avenue often overlooked as a viable approach to deficit reduction. Immigrants are more than just their labor; they contribute over $330 billion in federal tax — but are unable to fully prosper economically. Creating a permanent status for immigrant workers will not only grow our economy but also stimulate the housing market, while also tackling the issue of an aging workforce. A humane approach to immigration that doesn’t involve wasteful spending like the construction of an ineffective border wall or family separation policies can have a powerful effect on reducing the deficit.
Jesus “Chuy” Garcia: In August 2022, I was proud to vote for the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which will reduce the federal deficit by more than $300 billion in the next 9 years. Through this bill, we secured $18 billion for Illinois, including several cost-saving measures. In the short term, it lowers drug prices, caps the price of insulin for Medicare recipients, reduces the cost of broadband access, creates green jobs, and makes green energy more affordable. In the long run, it also restructures the tax code to ensure billionaires pay their fair share. In addition to imposing a 15% minimum tax on the wealthiest corporations, it will also create a 1% tax on stock buybacks — a corporate self-enrichment scheme that I’ve been fighting to regulate since my first term in Congress. Overall, the IRA sets the floor for reducing inflation in a progressive, forward-thinking way: by cracking down on price gouging and taxing the wealthiest corporations, while reducing the cost of clean energy for everyday people.
Besides reductions in IRA and changes to taxes, I also believe strategic and significant investments in clean energy development and deployment can also help mitigate the expected, astronomic rise in disaster-related costs in the US and the world, including food and housing insecurity.
Jesus “Chuy” Garcia: For the past 24 years, the 4th Congressional District has been the only majority Latino district in the Midwest. As a result, my office has consistently gotten calls from both constituents and immigrants across the country with issues related to naturalization or other immigration-related questions. It is the top issue in the district that my office plays a role in helping to navigate. That’s why it has been a priority to address the backlog of immigration cases, find a permanent solution to immigration reform, protect immigrants, and ensure immigrants are incorporated in every aspect of society. Whether it’s labor workforce protections, educational programs, or eligibility for healthcare programs, it is critical to ensure federal, state, and local policies and programs are inclusive of immigrants and mixed-status families.
There are, of course, other issues that are broader and require a more comprehensive approach when dealing with them. These include concerns about gun violence and the uninterrupted stream of weapons into the hands of people. Senseless violence and crime is a serious issue that requires collaboration at every level of government to make a meaningful difference. To address gun violence and create safer communities, I voted for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which was signed into law in June 2022. This law prevents dangerous individuals and those below 21 years of age from getting access to guns through enhanced background checks. In addition, this law provides funding for mental health support in schools, health clinics, and trauma support, all of which I support.
Jesus “Chuy” Garcia: I’m running for re-election to keep delivering for the people of the 4th Congressional District. I have lived in the Southwest Side of Chicago for over 50 years, where I raised my family and proudly served in the City of Chicago, Cook County Board of Commissioners, Illinois Senate, and now U.S. Congress. While in Congress, I helped secure funding for Illinoisans including $8.1 billion through the CARES Act, $18.6 billion through the American Rescue Plan, $17 billion through the Infrastructure and Jobs Act, $18 billion through the Inflation Reduction Act as well as $37.6 million in funding for 25 community projects in the 4th Congressional District. There’s so much at stake, and we need experienced and reliable candidates who can protect our democracy and deliver for our communities. I am a trusted coalition-builder and proven champion for working families. I stand ready to return to Congress, committed to delivering for our diverse communities.
