Rep. Seth Moulton told MSNOW that “we don’t have a plan for immigration,” arguing that Democrats too often default to opposing former President Donald Trump rather than offering a concrete approach to border and legal-entry issues. The Massachusetts congressman framed the debate as both moral and practical as he continues his primary challenge to Sen. Ed Markey.
What Seth Moulton told MSNOW
On MSNOW, Moulton said, “We don’t have a plan for immigration. We’re not able to say what, actually, Democrats should do to fix the problem.” He added that the party’s posture has too often been, in his words, “All we are is opposition to Trump.”
Moulton repeatedly returned to a line he used in town halls: “This is criminal what Trump is doing,” pressing the moral urgency of the situation while arguing Democrats must pair outrage with a policy blueprint.
He also described a listening tour tone he says has driven his focus. “I’ll ask people, ‘How many of you are opposed to Trump’s immigration enforcement?’ Every hand in the room goes up,” Moulton said on the program, and he added that he has asked “thousands of people in Massachusetts this question,” a characterization he presented as the basis for pushing a sharper plan for his party.
Moulton’s immigration proposals
Moulton outlined a mix of immediate accountability steps and longer-term legal reforms. He said Democrats should be explicit about both holding officials to account and creating clearer, faster legal channels for people who wish to immigrate.
Key items he described on the show and in recent campaign materials include:
- Abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which he urged as a structural reform rather than a symbolic move.
- Pursuing prosecutions of officials who break the law, a stance he has tied to existing proposals to increase oversight and criminal accountability for misconduct.
- Expanding and streamlining legal immigration pathways and the process toward lawful permanent residency and citizenship, to reduce incentives for dangerous irregular crossings.
- Pairing accountability measures with border security steps to curb illegal crossings while also enlarging legal capacity, which he says would show voters a comprehensive plan rather than only criticism.
Moulton referenced material and positions posted on his congressional website to underscore that some of these ideas are already part of his longer-term policy thinking.
Primary stakes and poll snapshot
Moulton is challenging Sen. Ed Markey in the Sept. 1 Democratic Senate primary. The contest has become a test of whether a challenger who emphasizes tougher-sounding reform language can peel away progressive and moderate primary voters in Massachusetts.
A University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll conducted June 18–23 showed Markey leading Moulton 41% to 35% among likely Democratic primary voters, with 23% saying they were undecided. The poll reported a margin of error of ±5.1 points, indicating room for movement as the primary approaches.
Town halls and voter reaction
Moulton told MSNOW that his town-hall conversations shaped the urgency of his pitch. He said voters repeatedly express frustration that the legal immigration system is slow or unclear and that, in some cases, “it’s easier for people to come across the border than to go through the bureaucratic process.” He presented that as an explanation for why broader legal pathways should be part of any reform package.
He also said Democrats risk alienating voters when they appear to dismiss problems as temporary. “When they called inflation ‘transitory,’ that’s not how people felt paying their bills,” Moulton said, arguing the party needs to couple moral objections to Trump-era policies with policy fixes voters recognize as practical.
Campaign aides say Moulton’s town halls have tested his messaging on a mix of suburban and exurban voters. He told MSNOW he repeatedly hears a combination of anger toward Trump-era enforcement and impatience with the speed of legal alternatives — a mix he says his proposals aim to reconcile.
By the numbers
- Primary date: Sept. 1.
- UNH poll: Markey 41%, Moulton 35%, 23% undecided (June 18–23).
- Poll margin of error: ±5.1 points.
What comes next
Moulton’s comments on MSNOW are likely to keep immigration central to his pitch as the Sept. 1 primary approaches. Expect continued town halls, media appearances and policy details from his campaign as it seeks to convert voter frustration into support at the ballot box.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Democratic National Committee for comment and did not immediately receive a response. The campaign has continued to highlight both accountability proposals and legal-pathway reforms as it presses its case to primary voters.
Source: Fox News.
