Immigration Stances

U.S. House Candidates In PA-1

Brian Fitzpatrick (Republican)

Picture from brianfitzpatrick.com

Brian Fitzpatrick is a Republican U.S. Representative who has described the U.S. immigration system as broken and advocated for a combination of stronger border security and measured reforms. He has supported legislation like Kate’s Law, which increases penalties for unauthorized immigrants who re-enter the U.S. after removal, and has backed the use of technology and resources at the border to enhance enforcement. At the same time, Fitzpatrick has said that serious immigration reform should also address protections for Dreamers (immigrants brought to the U.S. as children) indicating that his approach is not solely enforcement-focused but includes specific legal status considerations. As co-chair of a bipartisan caucus, he has sought meetings with the President and others to craft compromise solutions that secure the border, fix asylum processes, and provide legal protections for immigrants while respecting law enforcement and humanitarian concerns.

Bob Harvie (Democrat)

Photo curtesy of the Bob Harvie for congress campaign

Bob Harvie, a Democratic candidate and Bucks County Commissioner, does not appear to have widely published or detailed policy statements on federal immigration and pathways to citizenship as of now. Local reporting about his campaign emphasizes economic concerns and general Democratic themes, but specific immigration positions have not been broadly reported in mainstream coverage. Public reactions and comments in community forums reflect a range of interpretations of his politics, though without clear, documented statements from Harvie himself on immigration policy at the federal level, it’s difficult to characterize his stance definitively. (Positions not clearly documented in available sources.)

Tracy Hunt (Democrat-Former Republican)

Tracy Hunt (R) protests at the No Kings Rally in Langhorne on Oct. 18. Photo contributed.

Tracy Hunt is a Democratic candidate who previously was a Republican before switching parties. While Hunt’s campaign materials and recent town hall appearances have covered broader issues like divisiveness and party politics, there are no specific, well-published statements on immigration policy or detailed views on how pathways to citizenship should work in the sources available. At a recent town hall, Hunt and other Democratic hopefuls expressed skepticism about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after a law enforcement incident, which suggests a critical view of certain enforcement practices, but Hunt’s own comprehensive immigration policy positions have not been clearly articulated in major coverage.

Lucia Simonelli (Democrat)

Democrat Lucia Simonelli. From buckscountybeacon.com

Lucia Simonelli, another Democratic candidate, has emphasized structural and systemic issues in U.S. politics and has criticized the use of immigrants as scapegoats for economic problems. While she has voiced broader concerns about national policy and governance at town halls, she has not outlined specific proposals on immigration enforcement or formal pathways to citizenship in the publicly available sources. Her commentary suggests a framing of immigration within larger discussions about fairness and equity, but her precise policy prescriptions on how the U.S. should manage immigration remain unspecified in major press coverage

Robert “Rob” Strickler (Democrat)

Democratic hopefuls Tracy Hunt, Lucia Simonelli and Rob Strickler held a town hall Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at the Horsham Township Community Center. (Kenny Cooper/WHYY)

Rob Strickler, also running for Congress as a Democrat, has focused much of his messaging on campaign finance reform, democratic governance, and opposition to what he views as authoritarian tendencies in national politics. In a recent town hall with other candidates, Strickler joined in questioning U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after a violent incident involving an agent, indicating some critical stance on current immigration enforcement practices. However, there are no detailed public statements from him specifically outlining how he would reform U.S. immigration policy or establish pathways to citizenship as part of his campaign platform.

Pennsylvania Governor Race Candidates

Josh Shapiro (Democratic)

ShapiroPhotographer: Matt Rourke/AP Photo

Josh Shapiro, as Governor of Pennsylvania, does not set federal immigration policy but has publicly indicated that immigration issues should be handled at the federal level rather than by state authorities. He declined to send Pennsylvania National Guard troops to the U.S.–Mexico border, arguing that Congress should address immigration policy, which suggests a preference for leaving immigration management and potential pathways to citizenship to the federal legislative process rather than state action. He has also been critical of some tactics used by ICE, indicating a more restrained view of enforcement at the state level.

Stacy Garrity (Republican)

State Treasurer Stacy Garrity could become the state’s first female governor if she wins next year. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty

Stacy Garrity, a Republican candidate for Pennsylvania Treasurer, has expressed support for strong border enforcement, aligning with tough stances similar to those of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s approach to border security. While this is more relevant to state-level political identity and enforcement rhetoric, there is no clear record of her advocating a specific pathway to citizenship or comprehensive immigration reform, her public remarks focus mainly on border security and related conservative priorities.

Bucks County Commissioners Race Candidates

Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia (Democrat)

Diane Ellis-Marseglia (Courtesy of Bucks United)

Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia is a Bucks County Commissioner who, along with other Democratic commissioners, voted to oppose a local sheriff’s partnership with ICE that would have allowed local deputies to assist in immigration enforcement. This action signals she favors limiting local enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities, reflecting a more cautious or localized approach to immigration enforcement. However, there are no widely published statements detailing her views on federal immigration policy or specific pathways to citizenship.

Robert J. “Bob” Harvie Jr. (Democrat)

From bobharvieforcongress.com

(This is the same person as Bob Harvie listed above.) As noted, there is not enough public information available to clearly define his stance on immigration policy or pathways to citizenship beyond broader campaign themes and lack of detailed coverage. (See Bob Harvie above.)

Gene DiGirolamo (Republican)

Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo making remarks. Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

Gene DiGirolamo, a Republican Bucks County Commissioner, opposed a county resolution that aimed to block local participation in an ICE 287(g) program, suggesting he is more supportive of local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement than his Democratic colleagues. This position indicates he favors stronger enforcement collaboration at the local level, but there is no detailed, publicly available policy outline on how he would handle federal immigration policy or pathways to citizenship.