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FACT BRIEF

Does Wisconsin US Senate candidate Mandela Barnes want to open the United States' borders?

By Jacob Alabab-Moser
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NO

Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, has called for an immigration policy that "secures the border and also includes a path for citizenship," according to a campaign ad released in May 2022. 

Critics have cited a photo of Barnes holding an "ABOLISH ICE" T-shirt referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement agency. But he insisted in a February 2022 interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he is "not a part of the Abolish ICE movement."

Barnes has spoken about his views on immigration in this interview and others, elaborating on how ongoing labor shortages and "traumas" like family separation necessitate "comprehensive immigration reform." 

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Mandela Barnes for Senate Immigration: Mandela's priorities for Senate
The Daily Wire Dem. Senate candidate, who posed with ‘ABOLISH ICE’ t-shirt, under scrutiny for immigration positions
BNC News Charles Blow interviews Wisconsin Senate Dem. Primary candidate Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes
WQOW Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes stops in Osseo, Eau Claire as part of campaign tour
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Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.