LIVE: Rep. Swalwell Hosts TOWN HALL in San Diego, CA

Swalwell advocates for a strong offensive against federal immigration policies, proposing legislation to strip ICE agents of their immunity. He also states that as governor, he would implement a policy to revoke driver's licenses for any masked ICE or Border Patrol agents operating in California and work with prosecutors to charge them with state crimes if they harm residents.

Swalwell introduced legislation in Congress to strip ICE of immunity. He stated, 'If you want to wear a mask and go unidentified in our state as an ICE agent or a border patrol agent, you're going to lose your driver's license.' He also committed to working with prosecutors to 'max out our law enforcement authorities' and charge agents who commit crimes.

Swalwell identifies California's housing affordability issue as a 'blue state held down by red tape.' He proposes declaring a cost emergency on day one, mandating all agencies approve or deny outstanding housing applications within 90 days, and reducing the average of 1,000 new regulations annually. He also suggests using emergency powers to bring next-generation milling to California's high wildfire risk areas to reduce lumber costs, mitigate fires, and create jobs.

He notes the average age of a first-time homebuyer in California is 34 and that the state has 'four thousand regulations on the books.' He states, 'On day one, I'm declaring a cost emergency and telling every agency, 'You have 90 days to approve or deny every outstanding housing application in the state.'' He also details a plan for 'next generation milling' to address wildfire risk, lower insurance, reduce material costs, and create jobs.

To address California's revenue problems and support workers, Swalwell proposes restructuring corporate taxes. Companies with a smaller gap between CEO/C-suite compensation and rank-and-file worker wages would receive lower taxes. Conversely, companies with a larger pay gap would face higher taxes, incentivizing them to either lift worker wages or contribute more to state revenue.

He states, 'We're going to restructure the way that we tax corporations. If you have the shortest distance between what the CEO and the C-suite employees make and what the rank and file of the workforce make... you will have the lowest taxes. If you have the longest... you will either lift the wages... or you will pay more in taxes.'

Recognizing California's status as a 'donor state' to the federal government, Swalwell plans to leverage his relationships with federal leaders, like incoming Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, to claw back more federal funding for California. He also proposes establishing a 'California research fund' to attract international investments in the state's biotech and high-tech sectors, independent of federal support.

He mentions his long-standing relationship with Hakeem Jeffries, stating, 'I will leverage that relationship on behalf of Californians in the near term to say, 'Hakeem, as the speaker, you have the power of the purse. We have to do everything possible to get as much back.'' He also states, 'We're going to stand up a California research fund... and seek investments in that fund.'

Swalwell pledges to focus on lowering costs, starting with healthcare. He highlights his consistent voting record against Republican attempts to dismantle healthcare and his support for ACA subsidies. He also strongly criticizes proposed federal cuts to NIH funding, arguing it's detrimental to cancer research and overall medical advancement.

He states, 'My approach to health care will be even when I am 6 ft under... I will reach up from the soil and stop you from taking away people's health care.' He also notes, 'We have a president who would tell a country where 40% of us will find out that we're diagnosed with cancer, that he's making a... 40% cut to NIH funding.'