Hunter Garcia Miranda, CA-47 candidate, 2026 primary election questionnaire – Orange County Register

Ahead of the June primary election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.

Name: Hunter Garcia Miranda

Current job title: Attorney

Age: 28

Political party affiliation: Democratic

Incumbent: No

Other political positions held: N/A

City where you reside: Irvine

Campaign website or social media: huntermiranda2026.com

From voter ID to war powers and from immigration to tariffs, Congress has tackled many issues over the past year. What do you, though, see as the top three issues impacting Californians, and what specifically could you do as a lawmaker to address these issues? (Please answer in 250 words or less, and keep your response to future proposals.)

Immigration: We’ve experienced firsthand in California what happens when a President and their enablers in Congress use government agencies to terrorize immigrant communities. I’ll vote to abolish ICE and pass immigration reform that respects human rights while keeping our nation safe.

Healthcare: It’s past due to provide healthcare for everyone. We’re the richest country in recorded history, but continue to fail our citizens by forcing them to choose between putting food on the table and paying medical bills. We need to secure Medicare for All and ensure that all of us, regardless of income, race, or religion, have access to quality, affordable healthcare.

Foreign Policy: For every unconstitutional action taken in the Americas or the Middle East, trillions are spent on forever wars, as opposed to taking on corporations, housing costs, and the rising expenses associated with healthcare coverage. We need leaders who will address these issues and get our country focused on fixing domestic crises, and I’m willing to vote in support of impeachment and removal of our President to do so.

Speaking of voter ID, the president has implored Congress to approve legislation that would require people to show proof of citizenship in order to vote. What role do you believe the federal government plays in telling states how to conduct their own elections, as dictated by the U.S. Constitution? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

I believe that once we regain a House majority, we need to pass legislation that will counter MAGA’s wish to disenfranchise Democratic voters, because it isn’t about proof of citizenship. At the end of the day, the GOP is looking for any alternative to reality that will help them retain power, regardless of whether it makes voting more difficult for women, working families, or minorities. If elected, I’ll co-sponsor the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, helping our nation protect against voting discrimination from the GOP or its rogue leader.

What, in your opinion, should the federal government focus on when it comes to immigration policy? For example, do you place a priority on border security, visas for high-skilled workers, refuge for asylum seekers, etc., and why? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

I place priority on all the above, but the first obstacle to address is ICE. The Democratic Party cannot sit by idly while Republicans enable our government to deport our immigrant neighbors. Once we rid our federal government AND California communities of ICE, we need to fight for immigration reform that seeks out pathways toward citizenship, promotes border security without relinquishing the need to uphold human rights, and allows our country to continue to function as it started: as a haven for those seeking refuge from elsewhere. I believe we can protect our borders, protect all immigrants in the U.S., regardless of documentation, and pass legislation such as the DREAM Act, allowing our economy and humanity to thrive.

It’s been over a year since Gov. Gavin Newsom asked the federal government for supplemental disaster aid to help Southern California communities rebuild after the devastating Palisades and Eaton wildfires, but neither President Donald Trump nor Congress has acted. What would you do to push for the funding, besides writing letters to the Trump administration or the leaders of Congress? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

First, we can only push for supplemental disaster aid if we elect Democrats who can move beyond “strongly worded letters” and fight for real, structural change. That starts with impeaching the current President, and it ends with regaining a majority in Congress so we can get our Southern California communities the resources they need. Climate change isn’t going away, and that means we need to be proactive, not reactive, with disaster relief funding. I won’t support any Democrat for Speaker who thinks negotiating for this disaster relief funding is politics as usual. California’s lives, homes, and economy are threatened by inaction, and I’m ready to get to work for this state.

Do you support a ban or restriction on congressional lawmakers and their families from buying or selling individual stocks? Why or why not? And what would you propose to ensure lawmakers aren’t using their positions to engage in insider trading? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

Of course. Regardless of political affiliation, members of Congress have abused their power by trading stocks based on insider knowledge, and the solution is simple: pass the Stop Insider Trading Act.

Do you support stronger regulations on pollution and carbon emissions? If so, how would you ensure those regulations aren’t overly burdensome on small businesses or lower-income families? And if not, how do you propose lawmakers protect the environment and curtail the impacts of climate change? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

I support a combination of environmental regulation, paired with easing the burdens placed on small business owners and working families. Both are achievable at the same time. First, we need to rejoin the Paris Climate Accords and reclaim our status as a global leader on addressing climate change head-on. Domestically, I would join other California Democrats in fighting to narrow the scope of the California Environmental Quality Act’s exemptions for polluters and industries that impact our climate. We also need to fight against burdens that impede small businesses and working families from succeeding; to me, that starts with enforcing the Robinson-Patman Act, so we can protect our small businesses, employees, and customers from being priced out by billionaires and corporations. Rep. Waters’ Fair Competition for Small Business Act would require the California Attorney General to go after large businesses who price gauge our small businesses. It’s a good first step, and I’d be honored to work with Rep. Waters to pass this legislation.

President Donald Trump has significantly increased spending for the U.S. Department of Defense. Would you, as a member of Congress, approve additional dollars for the military if the president were to ask for more funding? How would you ensure that any military spending does not end up putting the American people or national security in harm’s way? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

I wouldn’t, especially when we have critical needs right here in our California communities. We’ve wasted trillions on a bloated defense budget and irresponsible military actions, prioritizing the military industrial complex over housing, healthcare, and hunger. That should upset all Americans, and when elected, I will fight to ensure that spending on our military and national security reflects the actual needs on the ground, rather than successful lobbying efforts by the defense industry.

Under what specific circumstances do you believe the U.S. should engage in a war? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

I can’t think of a single example during my lifetime where the U.S. justifiably went to war. Between Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Iran, our nation has been mired in “forever wars” since the start of the century, and we need to elect leaders who recognize that time is up for those who profit off these endless wars. I’m not running to represent the military industrial complex: I’m running to represent everyday people and working families, who suffer when U.S. tax dollars are spent on bombs instead of healthcare and tax reform.

Do you believe a president should seek congressional approval before engaging in military action overseas? Why, or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

Absolutely, because it is supposed to be one of Congress’s core functions. The War Powers Resolution was implemented following a series of egregious foreign policy decisions by President Nixon. The current administration is actively violating the Resolution, and we need to elect leaders who will fight a rogue administration every single time it seeks to overstep the Resolution.

Congress, in theory, is supposed to serve as a check on the president through budgetary, legislative and oversight powers. Do you believe Congress has fulfilled that obligation during the past two administrations, with one being a Democrat and the other a Republican? Why or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

I do not. Both parties in Congress have disappointed the American people by failing to keep the Trump Administration in check, and we need to turn the page within our own party in search of leaders who will provide the checks and balances needed from Congress. It starts with fighting against funding that aids genocide and corporate interests, and ends with investigating, impeaching, and convicting those in the Executive Branch who have sold out working families, immigrants, and Californians by and large to the desires of billionaires and corporate boardrooms.

Governments around the world are increasingly considering an age ban or other restrictions on social media use among young people, citing mental health and other concerns. Should Congress adopt such restrictions? If so, what specific restrictions do you propose? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

I believe that we aren’t doing enough, from our methods of policing to not holding social media conglomerates liable for their crimes, when it comes to adequately addressing mental health. As a nation, we’ve become prisoners to corporations, from social media companies to the pharmaceutical industry, that profit off the American people. I am open to restrictions on social media usage, but would need to fully digest the impact it would have on people’s constitutional rights before approving any concept.

Statistically, violent crime rates in California are on the decline, yet residents still don’t feel safe or at ease in their communities. How do you see your role in Congress in addressing the underlying issues that make Californians feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

It’s arguably the most important job of a House member. If elected, I will be responsible for uplifting my constituents in every way; that can only happen if people feel safe in their communities. To me, the first action I can take to restore a sense of ease in CD-47 is abolishing ICE. Californians have seen firsthand how a rogue administration can use ICE to terrorize our immigrant communities. I co-sponsor any legislation on day one in office that will rid our communities of masked men who seek to separate us, intimidate us, and silence us. Beyond ICE, we have so much work to do, from passing the Equality Act to codifying Roe to reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. We have a lot of work to do when we get power back, and I am fully committed to passing and reauthorizing bold legislation that protects all of us in CD-47.

There are term limits to serve in the California Legislature, but none to serve in Congress. Would you advocate for term limits for House members? Why or why not? If you support term limits, how many years maximum should a House member be allowed to serve? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

Absolutely. I commend the California Legislature for implementing term limits, and I will seek to do the same if elected to Congress. The first action I can take regarding term limits is holding myself to the same standard. Many politicians campaign on term limits, then overstay their own welcome by remaining in the House. That’s why I signed the U.S. Term Limits Amendment Pledge, committing to co-sponsor legislation restricting House members to three terms. I plan to serve a maximum of three terms myself, and am hopeful that other representatives will have the political will to join me.

What’s a hidden talent you have? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

Surfing! As someone born and raised in Orange County, many of my childhood memories involve spending time at our beaches with family and friends. While I’m admittedly not the best surfer, it’s an activity that keeps me grounded in my community and what makes Orange County so great.