Earlier this summer, the Post asked our readers what issues you wanted to hear candidates in federal, state and local races address leading up to the Nov. 3 election.

Based on that feedback, we developed a five-item questionnaire centering the issues most important to residents across Johnson County.

Each day this week, we’ll publish the candidates’ responses to one question. So far, we’ve published responses on prices and tariffs, and the war with Iran.

Today, we’re publishing candidates’ responses to the following question:

Readers remain split on immigration. Some want ICE reined in and to see improved conditions at the detention center in Leavenworth. Others want faster deportations and mandatory E-Verify for employers. What, specifically, would you change about how federal immigration enforcement works? Do you support reducing or increasing legal pathways to immigration?

Below are the answers the Post received from candidates on the issue:

Adam Hamilton (Democratic)

ICE’s operation in southwest Kansas caused chaos for families, communities and businesses, and it can’t happen this way again.

Federal agents arrived in Dodge City, Garden City and Liberal without notifying local officials or coordinating with local police. City leaders said agents were stopping people at random. Dodge City schools asked families to update who could pick up their children, because some students’ family members might have been detained. Many businesses closed for the week. The Kansas Livestock Association, along with cattle groups in Oklahoma and Texas, warned that the disruption at packing plants threatened animal welfare and food safety and would lead to higher beef prices. None of this made anyone safer.

The open border in the Biden administration caused a different kind of chaos. Record crossings overwhelmed communities, and the immigration courts fell years behind. I’m not for open borders, and dangerous criminals don’t belong here.

Kansans expect our immigration laws to be enforced. We also expect every person to be treated with dignity and respect. Enforcement should focus on people who are dangerous, and it should work with local law enforcement, not around it. What happened in Liberal, Garden City and Dodge City doesn’t reflect who we are. We’re Kansans. We don’t make our neighbors afraid.

Neither party has been able to fix this alone. It’s past time Washington worked together on real immigration reform that brings stability, including a legal, stable workforce for the dairies, feedlots and packing plants that keep southwest Kansas running.

David Graham (Libertarian)

Did not provide the Post with a response.

Roger Marshall (Republican, incumbent)

Did not provide the Post with a response.

Coming up:

Tomorrow, we will publish the candidates’ responses to the following question:

Gov. Laura Kelly estimates last year’s federal budget law will cost Kansas at least $150 million in lost health care funding. In addition, an analysis of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act by Manatt Health projects Kansas hospitals will lose $2.7 billion over 10 years under the law. Should Congress reverse any of those Medicaid cuts? If not, how would you keep rural hospitals open?