'Fix our broken immigration system': Border security and immigration major issue for voters this fall

Milwaukee (CBS 58) -- For months, the Marquette Law Poll has found that immigration is one of the most important topics for voters come November. Now, with just a few months left to campaign, both Republicans and Democrats are sharing their stance on the issue with voters.

At the Wisconsin State Fair, GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate Eric Hovde campaigned for a stricter immigration process. 

“We need to close the Southern border," said Hovde. “It has caused nothing but problems for our country and frankly, the amount of people that die on that journey. So, it’s just not good for anybody. We want the best and the brightest from the rest of the world to come here, but you have to do it legally.”

Hovde says he wants a strict timeline in which immigrants would be eligible for citizenship.

“If somebody presents their credentials, a background check, a notification goes' yes you would be eligible within an x period of time'. If you’re not, then they know that they’re not going to become a U.S citizen.”

Local Democrats say they want better immigration policies.

“We need a Congress that is going to have the courage to finally fix our broken immigration system," said District 8 Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa. 

Zamarripa speaking on behalf of Kamala Harris' campaign on Saturday doesn't think Republican party will be the one to fix it. 

"[Trump] led an anti-Latino, anti-immigrant administration," said Zamarripa. “I hope that Latino voters will know who is genuine in their outreach to the Latino community, which in my opinion are the Democrats.”

She points to Deferred Acrion for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) as an example. DACA protects children who came to the U.S illegally, but have lived most of their lives here, from deportation. 

"The Trump administration tried to take DACA away from our DACA dreamers and that would have been a devastating blow to our Latino community, to our immigrant communities," said Zamarripa.

Hovde says he wants to see the southern border closed, first.

"I’m very sympathetic to those children but there’s no way we can go through a legalization process of those kids in DACA until we get significant changes in the immigration process," said Hovde. 

Hovde will face incumbent Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin, in November.