Dr. Ala Stanford, a Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania's 3rd Congressional District, struggled to answer a straightforward question about immigration enforcement during an interview with NBC 10 Philadelphia. When asked who would enforce immigration laws if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were abolished, Stanford paused for approximately 20 seconds before providing a non-specific response.
Interview Exchange
Reporter Lauren Mayk pressed Stanford on her calls to abolish ICE, asking, 'From an immigration enforcement perspective, who do you think should be in charge of enforcing immigration laws?' Stanford replied, 'It's a good question. And you can pause because I just want to think about it.' After Mayk indicated the interview needed to continue, Stanford deflected by criticizing former President Donald Trump, calling him 'self-serving' and accusing him of making decisions 'for his personal gain.'
Lack of Specifics
Mayk redirected Stanford to the original question, asking, 'But who should be on the ground enforcing? If you've abolished ICE, who handles it? Who enforces those laws? Who enforces the border?' Stanford responded that ICE could not be reformed, describing it as a 'paramilitary organization that is taking human life.' She added that she 'wouldn't even use' the ICE acronym going forward, claiming its connotation was 'so negative that you would need a new name.'
When directly asked if that meant having 'no ICE,' Stanford reiterated that she would not use the name. She stated she would 'put the subject matter experts around me who are more knowledgeable in this space' to avoid repeating 'errors of the past,' but offered no specifics on who those experts would be or how enforcement would be structured.
Campaign Platform
Stanford, a pediatric surgeon and former Biden appointee, is considered one of the leading candidates in the May 19 Democratic primary for the seat currently held by retiring Rep. Dwight Evans. Her campaign focuses on food programs, education, and affordable housing. She has nearly $450,000 on hand, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
In a social media statement, Stanford wrote, 'ICE should be abolished, but instead this Congress has given it $150 billion dollars to fund its disgusting campaign terrorizing people of color and murdering Americans in the streets.' She pledged to 'abolish ICE and hold Trump accountable' if elected.
Addressing her pause during the interview, Stanford told the Philadelphia Inquirer, 'All I can do is tell the truth. So if I pause, it's because I'm thinking. I'm not just going to regurgitate something.' She described herself as 'a solver of complex problems' and 'detail-oriented.'
Stanford also announced she would not participate in a televised debate hosted by WHYY, citing concerns about the format. In a statement, she said, 'After engaging in good faith with WHYY, we could not reach terms on a format that would deliver the serious accountability voters in PA–03 deserve.'
