2008 Obama, B. Clinton & Others on Undocumented/Illegals (Promise of The Border Security that We Need)

1993 Harry Reid 

Obama in 2006

 Obama in Presidential Debate

This administration, the Bush Administration, has done nothing to control the problem that we have.  We have had 5 million undocumented workers come over the borders  since George Bush took office.  It has become an extraordinary problem.  And the reason the American people are concerned is that they are seeing their own economic position slip away.  And often times employers are exploiting these undocumented workers.  They are not paying the minimum wage, they are not observing worker safety laws.  So what we have to do is create a comprehensive solution to the problem.  Now I’ve already stated that as President I will make sure that we finally have the kind of border security that we need.  That’s step number 1.  Step number 2 is to take on employers.  Right now an employer has more of a chance of getting hit by lightening than be prosecuted for hiring an undocumented worker.  That has to change.  They have to be held accountable.  And when we do those things I believe that we can take the undocumented workers, the illegal aliens, who are here, get them out of the shadows, make sure that they are subject to a stiff penalty, make sure that they are learning English, make sure that they go to the back of the line so they are not getting an advantage over people who came here legally.  And if we do all of this we can be a nation of laws and immigrants.

Obama in a presidential debate in 2008

CLINTON 2008: “So, I think we got to have tough conditions. Tell people to come out of the shadows. If they’ve committed a crime, deport them. No questions asked, they’re gone. If they — (applause) — if they’ve been working and are law-abiding, we should say here are the conditions for you staying. You have to pay a stiff fine because you came here illegally. You have to pay back taxes and you have to try to learn English and you have to wait in line. (cheers and applause)”

Bill Clinton and Srate of the Union Address:  1995 State of Union Address

Clinton discussed the public's frustration with illegal immigration and detailed his administration's approach to increasing enforcement. 

• Border security: He noted the hiring of a record number of new Border Patrol guards.
• Cracking down on illegal hiring: The administration focused on stricter enforcement of laws against employers who hire undocumented workers.
• Deporting criminal aliens: Clinton highlighted efforts to increase the deportation of undocumented immigrants who committed crimes.
• Restricting benefits: He mentioned barring welfare benefits for undocumented immigrants. 

Clinton's direct quote: 

"All Americans... are rightly disturbed by the large numbers of illegal aliens entering our country. The jobs they hold might otherwise be held by citizens or legal immigrants. The public service they use impose burdens on our taxpayers. That's why our administration has moved aggressively to secure our borders."

1996 Clinton State of the Union

In 1996, Clinton again addressed immigration, stating, "We are still a nation of immigrants... But we are also a nation of laws". He mentioned increased border controls and an executive order denying federal contracts to businesses employing undocumented immigrants. 

Harry Reid in 1993 and then reversal in 2006

• In August 1993, then-Representative (later Senator) Reid introduced a bill proposing to deny automatic U.S. citizenship to children born on U.S. soil if their mothers were not American citizens or lawful permanent residents.
• At the time, Reid argued that no country should offer what he characterized as a "reward for being an illegal immigrant". 

The Reversal

• Reid later reversed his stance, expressing deep regret for the 1993 bill.
• In a 2006 speech on the Senate floor, he described introducing the legislation as the "low point" of his governmental career, citing the influence of his wife (whose father was an immigrant) and his realization that the proposal was short-sighted.

2026 Democratic Senators

Yes, several Democratic senators have stated that there were too many unauthorized crossings at the U.S. border and that the situation was poorly managed. [1]

• Senator Mark Warner (VA): In a January 2026 CNBC interview, Warner stated, "The border being as open as it was under Biden was one of the reasons Trump got elected," and added, "Do I think we ought to not have a fully open border? Absolutely. I've said that all along". [1]
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (NV): She criticized the previous administration for being "too afraid to talk about securing the border" and stated her own party had been "weak on immigration". [1]
Senate Democrats in Private: Following the 2024 elections, Democratic senators privately acknowledged to The Hill that their handling of border security was "political malpractice" and that they had bungled the issue, allowing the situation at the border to get out of hand. [1]

Additionally, many Democrats supported bipartisan border security legislation aimed at overhauling the asylum process and giving the president new powers to shut down the border when crossing numbers were too high.