Joe Mitchell
He wants to secure the border, deport criminal illegal immigrants and reform immigration law, and supports a temporary ban on H-1B visas.
Back to the race record
Issue record
Immigration and the border
In short
Mitchell's campaign backs border security, deporting criminal illegal immigrants and a temporary H-1B ban; James's backs more border spending and a path to citizenship for working, taxpaying immigrants. Stewart's campaign backs green-card auctions for vetted immigrants; Bushaw's backs strong borders and a path to citizenship for workers who are not criminals. On the record, James cosponsored a 2025 Iowa House resolution urging Congress to pass a citizenship bill for some adoptees; it changes no law.
Campaign positions
What each campaign says.
Lindsay James
She wants more spending on border security, more immigration judges, a path to citizenship for working, taxpaying immigrants, and new leadership and training at ICE.
Rick Stewart
He wants vetted immigrants to bid for lifetime green cards at auction, and citizens rather than the government to decide refugee and humanitarian cases.
Dave Bushaw
He says strong borders are necessary, and wants a legal path to citizenship for undocumented workers who are not criminals, with English classes.
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Evidence timeline
What the record shows.
official action
Lindsay James: Matches stated direction
In 2025 she cosponsored an Iowa House resolution asking Congress to pass the Adoptee Citizenship Act. A resolution does not change the law, and the act covers only certain adoptees.
Full detail
Her campaign says Congress should create a path to citizenship for working, taxpaying people in the country. In 2025 she was one of 24 sponsors, from both parties, of House Resolution 14. It asks the President and Congress to pass the Adoptee Citizenship Act, for people born abroad and adopted by U.S. citizens who were already 18 or older themselves when the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 took effect. The Iowa House adopted it on March 27, 2025. Limit: A resolution is a request to Congress and does not change the law. It covers only these adoptees, not the wider path to citizenship she calls for.
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Sources8 source records
- The Issueshttps://joemitchell.com/issues
Joe Mitchell for Congress · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026
Campaign issues page, sixteen sections from corporate PAC money to elections. Positions are attributed, not independently verified facts.
candidate statement
For: Joe Mitchell: campaign position
- Keep Our Communities Safehttps://www.lindsayforiowa.com/issues/keep-our-communities-safe
Lindsay for Iowa · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026
Campaign issue page on immigration, ICE, guns and police funding.
candidate statement
For: Lindsay James: campaign position; Lindsay James: Matches stated direction
- Libertarian wants to repeal income tax, welfare programs, immigration policyhttps://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/libertarian-wants-repeal-income-tax-004220831.html
Iowa Capital Dispatch (republished by Yahoo News) · Published Aug 15, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026
Report by Cami Koons on his August 15, 2026 speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox, with direct quotes. The original Capital Dispatch page (iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/08/15/libertarian-wants-to-repeal-income-tax-welfare-programs-immigration-policy/) blocks the desk's script, so this Yahoo copy is cited; a browser read of the original on October 1, 2026 found the same article text, both quoted lines included. His only 2026 platform statement found.
original reporting
For: Rick Stewart: campaign position
- Where Dave Bushaw Stands on the Issueshttps://www.davebushaw.com/platform
Dave Bushaw for Congress · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026
Campaign platform page. Positions are attributed, not independently verified facts.
candidate statement
For: Dave Bushaw: campaign position
- House Resolution 14 (2025), bill historyhttps://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/billTracking/billHistory?billName=HR14&ga=91
Iowa Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026
Filed March 26, 2025 by 24 members of both parties, Dunwell first and James among them. Adopted by the House on March 27, 2025.
official legislative record
For: Lindsay James: Matches stated direction
- House Resolution 14 (2025), text (document)
Iowa Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026
Calls on the President and Congress to pass the Adoptee Citizenship Act, for people adopted from abroad who were 18 or older when the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 took effect.
official legislative record
For: Lindsay James: Matches stated direction
- Iowa House members, 91st General Assembly (2025-2026)https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/house?ga=91
Iowa Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026
The Legislature's roster with each member's district and party. Used for the party of House Resolution 14's first sponsor, Jon Dunwell, a Republican.
official office record
For: Lindsay James: Matches stated direction
- Representative Lindsay Jameshttps://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=91&personID=27039
Iowa Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026
The Legislature's record of her service: Democrat, House District 71, serving since the 88th General Assembly (2019). She is the only James in the House in every session cited here.
official office record
For: Lindsay James: Matches stated direction