Civil Liberties

Edwards voted for the USA Patriot Act, but has been highly critical of its implementation. He would modify the Patriot Act by restoring important safeguards to the provisions most susceptible to abuse: the "sneak-and-peek" delayed-notice searches, National Security Letters, and the business and library records provisions.

Edwards believes that our government should protect the privacy, communications, and personal records of Americans. Edwards says that if elected president he will end the warrantless wiretapping of Americans' phone calls and e-mails and the data-mining of Americans' communications and personal records, restoring judicial review to surveillance of American citizens.

On his website, Edwards pledges that as president he will shut down Guantanamo and work to resolve the status of the detainees. He will also restore the writ of habeas corpus to reinstate judicial review of detention, rather than allow unchecked executive power.  During the Democratic Presidential Debate in Hanover, New Hampshire, Edwards stated “that the idea the United States of America would hold anybody without a right to a hearing undermines everything that we represent. No more secret prisons. Not when I'm president of the United States. “

John Edwards08 campaign website

Immigration

In a December 2002 speech at the Brookings Institution, Edwards stated that the “basic principle that should govern immigration is simple: warm welcome for immigrants and visitors, exhaustive barriers against terrorists.” 

Edwards supports comprehensive immigration reform and a path to earned citizenship for undocumented immigrants who work hard and follow the law.  "I do think that somebody who came here illegally...should pay a fine. I don't think we should pretend it didn't happen and the second thing is -- more controversial -- I think they should learn to speak English," Edwards said during a campaign event in Des Moines. 

According to Edwards, what is happening along the southern border is "unacceptable" and security needs to be beefed up with more border agents and better technology to track people trying to enter the country illegally.  "We should crack down on employers who are knowingly violating the law and exploiting workers," he said. 

Edwards: immigrants need to learn the language of commerce, Radio Iowa News, May 15, 2007

Iran

Edwards believes it is of the utmost importance that the U.S. prevents Iran from possessing nuclear weapons. On his website Edwards states that Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is a politically unstable leader and an open supporter of terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas. “Iran's possession of nuclear weapons could also set off a regional nuclear arms race in an unstable region in the world, which would directly threaten U.S. interests,” Edwards said.

During a foreign policy speech in Iowa City, Iowa, Edwards outlined his five-point strategy to contain Iran and force the country to give up its nuclear ambitions and its support of terrorism and insurgent activity: (1) end the preventive war doctrine, (2) use tougher and more targeted economic sanctions to force Iran's leaders to understand that they cannot continue to buck the will of the international community without destroying their ability to be a modern, advanced nation, (3) Use incentives to convince Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions and rejoin the world community, (4) reengage with Iran using a new multi-level diplomatic approach, and (5) reengage with other major nations like Russia and China on the challenges facing Iran.

John Edwards08

Edwards outlines new strategy for Iran based on lessons learned from Iraq, Iowa Politics.com, November 5, 2007

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