Duckworth, Salvi Forum Focuses on Immigration, Abortion
Sen. Tammy Duckworth and GOP nominee for Senate Kathy Salvi speak at an Illinois Farm Bureau forum in August.
The two candidates for U.S. Senate met Monday in what may be their only joint appearance in the final five weeks before Election Day.
Incumbent Senator Tammy Duckworth and Republican nominee Kathy Salvi appeared via Zoom with newspaper editors from around the state in an hourlong forum. The pair sparred about immigration, the economy, and abortion, among other topics.
When asked about migrants who are legally applying for asylum in the United States and being shipped to Chicago from the Texas border, Salvi pressed Duckworth on border security.
Duckworth conceded there is a crisis at the southern border and advocated for comprehensive immigration reform.
“In order to fix [it], we need immigration reform that is practical, humane, and fair,” Duckworth said. “We need a fair, earned pathway to citizenship and also stronger border security.”
Duckworth says she supports more funding for border patrol agents and more investment in fencing, electronic monitoring, and drones. Duckworth says she also supports a stronger guest worker program, H-1B Visa reform, and a pathway for illegal immigrants to remain in the country legally and become citizens.
“If you broke the law to come here, you need to pay fees, fines, and penalties, you need to learn English, go to the end of the line and work your way toward a pathway to legal status,” she said.
“Nothing that she said admits to a crisis at the border,” Salvi shot back. “This is our humanitarian crisis. And what have we heard [from Duckworth]? Crickets. Nothing.”
Salvi accused Duckworth of voting against legislation that would have provided 18,000 new border agents and against $300 million in anti-narcotic trafficking programs.
Duckworth accused Salvi of opposing abortion even in the case of rape and incest, a charge which Salvi did not deny. Though, Salvi said she supports the recent Supreme Court case overturning Roe vs. Wade and returning abortion decisions back to the states.
Duckworth says she supports existing Illinois law, which limits elective abortions after the point of viability.
Salvi also broke from the Trump activists of the GOP admitting the former president lost the 2020 election.
“Joe Biden won the election in November 2020,” Salvi said. “But, people should have the right to ask questions and peacefully protest. Those break the law should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Independent polls show Duckworth leading by around 15 points and most DC outlets consider the seat safe for Democrats.
