Age
40
Education
BA - Harvard University; JD - Harvard Law School
Hometown
Hialeah, FL
County
Miami-Dade
Instagram
www.instagram.com/pegueroformiami
Fixing our broken immigration system is important to me because I was raised by hard working immigrants who both served in the U.S. military. We must secure our borders and deport violent criminals but allow for protected status for immigrants fleeing from unsafe conditions and preserve due process. We should provide a pathway to citizenship to the nonviolent, noncriminal undocumented immigrants contributing to our economy and faithfully paying their taxes. I support the DREAM Act and will protect these children who through no fault of their own were brought to this country, know it as their only home, and are in our classrooms learning how to become America’s future leaders.
Climate change isn’t theoretical for the residents of Miami. It’s happening now. We must take urgent action to ensure Miami is affordable and above water for the sake of our kids and grandkids, and we can do it in ways that strengthen our economy. Building up green infrastructure not only protects our homes and businesses from the elements, it creates good-paying jobs and pumps up our local economy. So will investing in new, clean energy that diversifies the menu of options at consumers’ disposal. Introducing more choice and competition is the American way. Tackling climate change must be about innovation, expanding choice, preserving our natural resources, and putting more money in people’s pockets by making our energy consumption more efficient and less costly.
The squeeze that Americans are feeling due to rising costs must be the top priority. We must repeal the tax giveaways to billionaires and corporations and invest in middle-class and working-class tax relief. We must:
- Raise the minimum wage and help folks afford childcare
- Incentivize the construction of affordable housing and provide tax credits for folks purchasing their first homes
- Introduce a public option to make private insurers compete by reducing prices and/or providing actual quality care
As the son of immigrants and a lawyer, we need a government more focused on securing our borders and deporting violent criminals rather than sweeping nonviolent immigrants off our streets without due process. We should provide a pathway to citizenship to the nonviolent, noncriminal undocumented immigrants contributing to our economy and faithfully paying their taxes. We must extend TPS and begin processing Cuban cases under the Cuban Adjustment Act instead of leaving them in limbo.
Freedom of speech is the first right protected under the Bill of Rights. It is what makes us American. That might mean disliking the content of what you have to say but fighting for your right to say it. Of course, threats or the incitement of violence have no place in our society and cross the line from speech into action. As a lawyer on the January 6th Committee, I investigated crimes of violence. Your right to swing your fist ends at someone else’s nose. But the government has no role to play in censoring or judging the content of pure speech.
Congress is mentioned first in the U.S. Constitution, in Article I, whereas the president isn’t mentioned until Article II. Unfortunately, Congress has ceded its power increasingly to the executive. In order to serve as an effective check on the president, Congress has to reassert its prerogatives, including providing meaningful oversight of federal agencies.
Laws that seek to make voting harder are affronts to our democracy. Too many of our ancestors fought and died to secure us the vote for our government to put up unnecessary restrictions, particularly ones that disproportionately affect women voters. But if such a law were nonetheless passed, as a lawyer, I would support efforts to fight it in court as unconstitutional, fight to change the law, and work with local organizations to limit its effects by educating voters on the new requirements. In Congress, I will work to crack down on these voter suppression tactics and hold states that are engaging in these practices accountable.
My father was a public-school teacher who instilled in me a love of learning. I am also an educator who has seen firsthand the effects of quality education on our students, families, and communities. Education makes us all more safe. It makes us all more prosperous. It gives us a competitive edge over other countries. When we strengthen education, nearly every other issue in American life is impacted positively. Reaching kids early is critical to entrenching a love for learning in communities that are traditionally ignored and left behind. I started kindergarten at four years old, so I’m a big advocate for universal pre-K so that kids are put on a path to success early. We need to teach financial literacy in underserved communities so that kids are equipped to secure the funding they need to continue their education past high school. We need to provide more robust financial aid, particularly to community colleges and trade schools, because the increase in earning potential is dramatic.
Age
70
Education
Miami Dade College — Associate of Arts (A.A.) University of Miami — Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Hometown
City of Miami
County
Miami-Dade County
Instagram
ERodforCongress
Campaign Phone
3058137987
I support U.S. comprehensive immigration reforms that reflect our values as a nation that has always been seen as a beacon of hope and a country that has long served as a refuge for the oppressed. We can secure our borders while, at the same time, protecting human rights and due process.
As the son of immigrants who came to this country for a better life I am especially interested in making immigration policy that ensures that every law-abiding immigrant who comes here to contribute to this country, respects the rule of law and helps defend our freedoms and democracy, has the same opportunity to contribute to the country and live freely and happily here as my own parents did.
I support worker protections against labor abuses. I support faster processing of asylum claims, keeping families together during immigration proceedings, legalizing DACA recipients, and modernizing our immigration system.
Climate change affects all aspects of our lives, and the economy is no exception. In Florida, rising homeowners insurance premiums and the reduced availability of coverage in some areas are examples of its impact. Not to mention the disruption of supply chains caused by harsher weather patterns associated with climate change.
Congress plays a central role in shaping U.S. climate policy through legislation, budget and oversight and inaction will have devastating consequences.
1. Making South Florida More Affordable. I will work to lower the cost of housing, health care, insurance, and everyday expenses while promoting economic growth and expanding opportunities for working families and small businesses.
2. Protecting Rights and Strengthening Democracy. I will defend the constitutional rights and freedoms of all Americans, support comprehensive and humane immigration reform, protect voting rights, and work to ensure that every person has an equal opportunity to succeed.
As a journalist for more than four decades, I dedicated my career to protecting and exercising freedom of speech by informing the public and holding those in power accountable. I understand firsthand that a free press and free speech are fundamental to a healthy democracy.
As a Cuban American, I also understand on a deeply personal level what happens when freedom of speech is taken away. The suppression of speech is often the first step toward the erosion of democracy and individual liberty.
As a Member of Congress, I will defend the First Amendment rights of all Americans, protect the independence of a free and independent press, and oppose government efforts to censor lawful expression or retaliate against individuals or organizations because of their viewpoints.
The Supreme Court's recent decision in Trump v. Slaughter expanded presidential authority over certain federal agencies. I believe Congress should respond by considering legislation that strengthens its oversight authority and reinforces the system of checks and balances envisioned by our Founders. No single branch of government should accumulate so much power that meaningful accountability is diminished.
As a Member of Congress, I would vigorously exercise Congress's oversight responsibilities to promote transparency, accountability, and faithful execution of the laws. I would also support legislation that enhances Congress's ability to obtain information from executive agencies, strengthens reporting requirements, and ensures that federal agencies remain accountable to the representatives of the American people while respecting the constitutional separation of powers.
Every eligible U.S. citizen has the right to vote, and no one should lose that right because they cannot easily obtain or afford proof of citizenship. If documentary proof becomes a legal requirement, government must make the process accessible, affordable, and efficient by reducing fees, expanding access to records, and assisting seniors, military families, adopted individuals, naturalized citizens, and women whose names have changed through marriage or divorce. More than a century after the 19th Amendment guaranteed women the right to vote, we should be removing barriers to participation, not creating new ones. If elected, my congressional office will help constituents navigate the process, connect with the appropriate agencies, and overcome bureaucratic obstacles so every eligible voter has a fair opportunity to participate in our democracy.
While states and local districts should oversee curriculum and daily operations, the federal government must ensure every child has access to a high-quality education. I support expanding affordable pre-K through federal-state partnerships and strengthening K-12 by investing in teachers, school facilities, career and technical education, special education, and equal opportunity. No child should learn on an empty stomach, so I support increased funding for school breakfast, lunch, summer, and after-school meal programs. I also support grants encouraging states to require financial literacy and economics for graduation and increased funding for art, music, theater, and cultural education. For higher education, we must make college, trade schools, apprenticeships, and workforce training more affordable while reducing student debt. I also support legislation protecting higher education from politically motivated federal actions and strengthening congressional oversight.
