Derek Dooley’s Immigration Stance

Republican Senate candidate Derek Dooley has indicated his support for allowing undocumented immigrants to stay in the United States, stating he is “very sensitive” to the perspectives on this issue from both sides.

When asked about amnesty and what should happen next for those here illegally, Dooley, a former college football coach backed by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, acknowledged that these individuals came to the country unlawfully and suggested there should be a penalty involved.

However, when pressed for specifics on the nature of that penalty, Dooley didn’t offer a clear answer and chose to table the conversation for later.

“We can debate how that should be. Whether it’s some form of payment, community service—whatever it might be, I believe there should be some kind of consequence for entering the country illegally,” he remarked. He emphasized that he doesn’t want these individuals to live in fear of being deported.

“I know they would prefer not to be constantly looking over their shoulders, worrying about being sent out of the country,” he mentioned, adding, “That’s why I’m really trying to understand the views from both sides on this.”

His views contrast with those of his primary opponent, Representative Mike Collins, who has a more hardline stance on immigration. One of Collins’ notable proposals, known as the Laken Riley method, aims to have the Department of Homeland Security detain undocumented immigrants who are involved in criminal activities, named after a nursing student who was killed by an illegal immigrant. This was also the first legislation signed into law by President Trump during his second term.

Collins, who has criticized Dooley’s less stringent approach, said, “We shouldn’t replace Jon Ossoff with someone who has the same immigration viewpoints as Jon Ossoff.”

The latest poll, the first since the Georgia Republican Senate primary on Tuesday, shows Collins leading with a significant margin over Dooley as they both aim for the seat held by Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, who is seen as vulnerable heading into the elections.

President Trump has yet to endorse a candidate in this race but has stressed the need to unseat Ossoff, calling for a “real senator” for Georgia, as he described the current senator as ineffective.

According to various polling averages, Collins is positioned to perform better against Ossoff than Dooley.