U.S. HOUSE / DISTRICT 11 / DEMOCRAT

AISHA FAROOQI

Aisha Farooqi of Troy has a bachelors from U of M and a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy. Farooqi has served as a county prosecuting attorney. She is a board member of Children Trust Michigan.

Israel – Hamas war

There is debate about what the ongoing role of our country should be in the Israel – Hamas war. Some critics are now calling for a limit on the offensive weapons we ship to Israel, often times with no advance approval from Congress. Should we be restricting our involvement?

I believe what’s happening in Gaza is a genocide. Entire families have been wiped out. Hospitals, schools, refugee camps, journalists, aid workers, and civilian infrastructure have been bombed while millions of Palestinians face displacement, starvation, and collective punishment. The world is watching a humanitarian catastrophe unfold in real time. I do not believe the United States should continue providing unconditional military support to Israel as these atrocities continue. Americans are struggling to afford housing, healthcare, groceries, and basic necessities while billions of taxpayer dollars continue flowing into war and weapons. I support a full arms embargo on Israel because there is no such thing as a defensive bomb. I also believe the Leahy Law must be enforced consistently and without exceptions.

Ukraine support

The U.S. has been a major financial supporter of Ukraine in its war with Russia. But the current administration seems to have shifted its focus to the war we started with Iran. Do you favor continued support for Ukraine?

I believe Ukraine has the right to defend itself against Russia’s invasion, and I support humanitarian assistance for civilians impacted by the war. At the same time, I do not believe endless military escalation abroad should take priority over the crises Americans are facing here at home. The United States cannot continue treating every international conflict as an open-ended financial and military commitment while people struggle to afford day-to-day life. I support diplomacy, de-escalation, and accountability under international law. American foreign policy must prioritize peace, stability, and the well-being of the American people rather than endless involvement in overseas conflicts.

Iran war

Do you support the current war with Iran? If it continues, should the president seek approval from Congress under the War Powers Act?

I am opposed to war in most circumstances, especially an illegal war with Iran being waged without proper congressional authorization and at the behest of a foreign leader. The Constitution is clear: Congress has the authority to declare war, and any prolonged military conflict with Iran requires congressional approval under the War Powers Act. Americans are tired of endless wars that cost lives, destabilize entire regions, and drain public resources while healthcare, housing, education, and infrastructure here at home continue to be neglected. It’s the same playbook Washington has relied on for generations. It’s also deeply disappointing to watch members of Congress who campaign as anti-war or progressive Democrats refuse to meaningfully challenge this escalation because doing so is politically inconvenient.

ICE and immigration

Do you support the current administration’s goals on immigration enforcement? Is there a need for reform of ICE officers and, if so, what do you recommend? Lastly, would you support further discussion of reform for the path to citizenship for those immigrant’s currently in this country rather than just an emphasis on expulsion?

I do not support the current administration’s approach to immigration, which has prioritized fear, mass detention, and family separation over due process and human dignity. I firmly support abolishing and prosecuting ICE and replacing it with an immigration system centered on accountability, constitutional rights, and humane enforcement standards. I also oppose the militarization of domestic immigration enforcement and support lawful pathways to immigration, including protections for DACA recipients and Dreamers. We cannot ignore that U.S. foreign policy directly impacts migration and displacement around the world. I support immigration reform that protects due process, keeps families together, and creates a fair pathway to citizenship.

Supreme Court concerns

Would you support a constitutional amendment that imposes some type of term limits on U.S. Supreme Court justices? Would you support a set of enforceable ethics restrictions on Supreme Court justices, similar to the 1973 code of conduct that now applies to all federal judges? Would you support expansion of the number of Supreme Court justices?

Yes, I support term limits for U.S. Supreme Court justices because lifetime appointments have contributed to a court increasingly disconnected from the American people and modern democratic norms. Our courts must serve the public, not wealthy donor networks or partisan interests. I also support enforceable ethics rules for Supreme Court justices similar to the Code of Conduct already applied to other federal judges. No justice should be influenced by billionaires, corporate interests, or any president. And yes, I support expanding the

Supreme Court. The size of the Court is not fixed in the Constitution, and after years of escalating partisan manipulation surrounding judicial appointments, I believe structural reform is necessary to restore legitimacy and faith in our democratic institutions.

Housing demand

Do you have any suggestions on how Congress should be addressing the current housing demand and the cost of housing for first time home buyers? Explain.

Too many families and young people are locked out of homeownership because wages have not kept pace with rising housing costs. In Congress, I will support policies that expand affordable housing, turn vacant properties into livable homes, crack down on private equity firms buying single-family homes, strengthen tenant protections, break up rental market monopolies, and invest in public transportation, so housing opportunities are not limited to the wealthiest areas. At the same time, I do not support overdeveloping the little green space we have left. Housing policy should prioritize sustainable development, smarter land use, revitalizing existing communities, and protecting the natural spaces that make our communities livable. I also support the American Homeownership Act and measures that expand down-payment assistance and first-time homebuyer programs.

Your top priorities

Name your top three-five priorities if you are elected in November.

Lowering the cost of groceries, gas, housing, and utilities. Medicare for All. Banning corporate PAC money and getting big money out of politics. Opposing endless wars. Protecting our environment, water resources, energy grid, and green space from AI data centers.

Why vote for you

Why should a primary voter select you over another candidate?

I’m an attorney, former prosecutor, and daughter of immigrants who has spent my career in public service, standing up for survivors of domestic violence and fighting corrupt landlords. I don’t take money from corporate PACs, AIPAC, utility PACs, or other special interest groups because holding public office means serving the constituents who put me there to begin with, not wealthy donors.

JEREMY MOSS

Jeremy Moss of Bloomfield Township has a degree in journalism from MSU. He is currently a member of the Michigan Senate and has served in the state House and on the Southfield City Council. His is active in party organizations, Temple Beth Ahm and the Unity Fund.

Israel – Hamas war

With the return of the remaining Israeli hostages and the agreement of a ceasefire, the US must play an active role to chart a path for two peace-seeking states to live side-by-side. Israel, the US, the UN and other partnering organizations on the ground must work together to expand access and deliver the humanitarian aid in Gaza. Israel is an allied democracy in the Middle East. Both Americans and Israelis are working through democratic means to move past the Trump-Netanyahu era. The allyship between countries must be able to endure and United States must support Israel’s long-term security despite individual administrations and government coalitions.

Ukraine support

The United States must stand firmly with its allies, including continued support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression. Both the United States and the European Union cannot cede a position of strength to adversaries like Russia and China that creates instability in the West. At the same time, Congress must exercise its constitutional war powers and ensure that America does not stumble into unnecessary or endless conflicts elsewhere. We can support Ukraine while also pursuing diplomacy, preventing escalation in the Middle East, and focusing on a foreign policy rooted in strategic alliances, democratic values, and long-term American security interests.

Iran war

Previous US intervention in the Middle East still casts a long shadow. I came of age protesting a war led by a President who declared ‘Mission Accomplished’ too early, had no real plan to win the peace, took a brutal toll on US service members and civilians on the ground, and isolated America from the world. Donald Trump is even less prepared to lead military engagement in the Middle East and is about to enter a fourth month of a war he does not know how to get out of. Congress must reassert its constitutional role under the War Powers Act to ensure that decisions about military engagement are made deliberatively, transparently, and with meaningful oversight. We must prevent this President from entangling the United States in needless or unauthorized military interventions. 

ICE and immigration

The cruelty and chaos caused by ICE cannot be repaired or reformed under Donald Trump and the agency must be dismantled. Congress should demand transparency in federal immigration enforcement and hold those who acted illegally to account. We can both secure our border without allowing officers posing as masked vigilantes to erode due process and civil liberties. We need an interior agency with more rigorous training, increased oversight, and safer outcomes. Americans want an immigration system that is orderly, just and humane. We need to revamp the outdated visa system to balance our labor needs and those seeking economic opportunity. We must create legal pathways to citizenship for DACA recipients and for undocumented immigrants with long-standing ties to the US. Clearing up and reforming legal avenues for immigration will ease pressure at the border, reduce the number of people seeking asylum and illegal crossings, and strengthen our national security. 

Supreme Court concerns

Michigan imposes age limits for judges on our courts, including the Justices on our State Supreme Court. I am in support of instituting age or term limits on the US Supreme Court. Members of this particular court have eroded our fundamental rights, appeared to bow to the whims of the President, and faced questions of ethical breeches. I believe no public official, especially on our highest court, should be above basic transparency and accountability. I support enforceable ethics rules, a code of conduct, and required financial disclosures for Supreme Court Justices similar to the standards that already apply to every other federal judge.

Housing demand 

In the Michigan Senate, I led a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, local communities, homebuilders and non-profits to draft new laws that incentivize creating more housing at attainable prices. Our legislation alleviates property taxes for residents to make needed home improvements and for developers to put blighted properties into proper use as new homes. These laws have infused our market with needed affordable housing and rehabilitated neighborhoods. We also enacted more incentives and savings for first-time home-buyers. Our federal government must find similar innovative solutions to reduce costly hurdles to homeownership and I look forward to continuing this critical work in Congress.

Your top priorities 

We’re living through an affordability and democracy crisis fueled by Donald Trump’s chaos and recklessness. As chairman of the Michigan Senate Elections Committee, I’ve become an expert on election law. I’m prepared to get into this fight to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, confront and defeat the SAVE Act, and stop Donald Trump from federalizing our elections. On costs, Congress must overturn the devastating impacts of Trump’s big awful bill that have increased costs on Michigan families. Too many Michiganders are one medical emergency away from financial ruin and we must fight to ensure every American can access affordable healthcare. And finally, Donald Trump is out of control. Across the country, MAGA Republicans are targeting voting rights, LGBTQ rights, abortion rights, public education, and so much more. In Congress, I will fight to protect civil rights and stand up to hate and political extremism. 

Why vote for you

I have a record of taking on Michigan’s biggest challenges. As Chairman of the Senate Elections Committee, I combated election conspiracies in Michigan, implemented early voting, and expanded access to absentee ballots. As Michigan’s first out gay Senator, I added LGBTQ protections in our state’s civil rights law. And I was a founding member of our Legislature’s Gun Violence Prevention Caucus that led to the first gun safety laws in Michigan in a generation. With the stakes this high, Oakland County needs a tested leader to deliver results for those who need it most. That’s why I’m endorsed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and more than 60 elected officials in the district. This is a critical moment in our country and I am a part of a new generation of leaders stepping up to take action and fight back.

JOHN PAUL TORRES

John Paul Torres of Waterford has a BA in political science from OU and a masters in public administration from U of M. He works as an administrator in the county court system; is a trustee on the Waterford School Board; and a former member of the Waterford Library Board.

Israel – Hamas war

The United States must ensure that taxpayer dollars never fund human rights abuses. I oppose sending offensive military support to Israel as their operations inflict civilian casualties and humanitarian crises across Gaza, Lebanon, and the wider region. Furthermore, Congress must reclaim its constitutional authority over military intervention, stripping unchecked power from the executive branch. We should not be engaged in war in Iran, nor should we be funding Israel with billions of dollars.

Ukraine support

I support funding and aid for Ukraine because it is a fundamental battle between democracy and autocracy. While I generally oppose unchecked foreign defense spending and “blank checks” for military interventions, standing against Russia’s expansionary war is a necessary exception.

Iran war

We are currently spending a billion dollars a day on the unjust and illegal war in Iran. Trump claims that our initial intentions for engagement were to liberate the Iranian people, yet at the same time, the Trump administration was weaponizing ICE and killing our own people right here on American soil. Then our motives changed to stopping Iranian development of nuclear weapons. However, the Trump administration previously stated that it “obliterated” all of this nuclear weaponry in June of 2025. It is clear that we are headed into another Forever War (like Iraq or Afghanistan) if we continue on this same trajectory. I stand against this war, and will not vote to fund it. The President must absolutely seek explicit congressional approval under the War Powers Act. For too long, the executive branch has bypassed our laws to wage unauthorized conflicts, entangling our nation in endless foreign wars. Congress must reclaim its constitutional right to decide when we enter into war. No president is above the law, if military operations continue, the administration must immediately answer to Congress.

ICE and immigration

As the son of a former undocumented immigrant, this issue is deeply personal. I do not support the current administration’s methods and goals. Real enforcement means maintaining human dignity, due process, and absolute accountability, all of which are being violated under President Trump. The Trump administration has increased ICE’s budget to 70 billion dollars, lowered criteria and qualification for ICE agents, and are building detention centers all across the country. The results are inhumane and un-American. We must abolish ICE, however I do not disagree with border security/enforcement. ICE agents should be the most qualified of law enforcement officers, and they should respect the Constitution. I stand for abolishing ICE, but replacing the agency with a law enforcement unit that hires qualified experienced law enforcement officers. I support a law enforcement agency that prioritizes community policing and keeping families together. I have worked on the court end of law enforcement for 25 years. In that time I have helped put bad people in prison, had my life threatened and my family’s life threatened. Unlike the masked ICE agents of the Trump administration, I have never once worn a mask to conceal my identity; because in America we all have a right to know who our accuser is. I support establishing a clear, consistent pathway to citizenship for those that have lived in our country as law-abiding community members for many years, including DACA kids and their parents. I served as a Congressional Fellow in Washington, DC and helped draft the early version of the DREAM Act, which is a pathway to citizenship for children brought to America through no choice of their own. The DREAM Act was used by the Obama administration as the template for DACA. It would be an honor and privilege to see that legislation through.

Supreme Court concerns

Yes, I fully support a constitutional amendment imposing term limits on Supreme Court Justices to end lifetime entrenchment and curb the influence of dark money. We must enact structural reforms to restore democratic accountability, strip unchecked power from an unelected majority, and ensure the highest court serves working-class Americans rather than wealthy special interests. The unchecked rise of dark money and corporate influence following the 2010 Citizens United ruling deals a constant blow to the working class. To fight back and protect everyday Americans, we must establish strict safeguards and transparency within the highest levels of our judicial system. I support the expansion of the Supreme Court specifically to match the historical precedent of aligning the judges with the existing number of federal judicial circuits.

Housing demand

First, we must take on the predatory hedge funds and corporate investors buying up land and single-family homes across our district. By turning affordable houses into high-priced rentals, they are artificially driving up purchase prices and shutting local families out of the market. Combined with high interest rates, buying a home is becoming an unachievable dream for the working class. In Congress, I will fight to reign in corporate landlords and champion the expansion of FHA loans so every first-time home buyer has a fair shot at the American Dream.

Your top priorities

Affordability Crisis: To tackle deep inequality and the affordability crisis, we must fight corporate greed by ensuring corporations and billionaires pay their fair share. We should redirect federal spending from foreign wars to fund universal healthcare, tuition-free college, vocational training, union infrastructure jobs, and environmental protections. Immigration: We must face the issue head on by creating a compassionate, legal pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants, including DACA recipients, while completely abolishing ICE. Education: Investing in our children means a “whole child” educational approach. We must address staffing shortages and rising costs through robust federal funding, including increasing IDEA and restoring public school investments, while securing universal free school lunch and common sense gun laws to protect students.

Why vote for you

I understand the struggles of the working class, and have shared their experience. My wife and I started out young, put each other through school while raising our first child. We utilized programs such as subsidized housing, WIC and head start. I understand first hand the importance of the programs the Trump administration is trying to cut. I’ve worked in government for 25 years, starting out as an entry level government employee and eventually worked my way all the way to the top of my field in government. I was part of a team of court administrators that lead massive youth justice reform in Michigan for the Michigan Supreme Court. In addition, I have been an elected school board trustee for 12 years (Waterford) and am a former Congressional Fellow.

DON UFFORD

Don Ufford of Bloomfield Township has both a BS and BA in engineering and an MBA from U of M. He has been employed by the Ford Motor Company and the Department of Commerce and the White House Made in America office staff.

Israel – Hamas war

We must end this humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Despite what Trump claims, the war has not stopped, over 70,000 Palestinians have been killed, and civilians are suffering every day from inhumane conditions. We also must recognize the role that Hamas had in starting this war on October 7, 2023, killing over 1,000 Israelis and taking over 250 hostages during the largest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Israel absolutely has a right to defend itself. But that right cannot be invoked to dehumanize and kill Palestinian civilians. It’s clear that offensive weapons to Israel are killing Palestinian civilians, and because of that, I am against a blank check and blanket financial and military support for Israel. I will support defensive weapons such as Iron Dome, but I will not continue to fund this humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live in peace and dignity, and I will fight for a two-state solution. And within our community, we need to bring down the divisive rhetoric and bring people together so that Jews, Muslims, Christians, and people of all faiths, colors, and backgrounds can live in safety and dignity.

Ukraine support

This war in Iran is wrong, and we never should’ve started it. The Iran war has been a major distraction from America’s core foreign policy objectives. The U.S. should continue to support Ukraine and our European allies in defending themselves against Russian aggression.

Iran war

I was the first candidate in this race to say clearly that this war in Iran is wrong. From the start, there was no plan and no objective. Because of Trump’s war of choice, American service members are being killed and injured, and Americans at home are paying the price in higher costs for gas and groceries. Members of Congress need to have a backbone and re-assert their Constitutional authority by using the War Powers Act to end this war. I will immediately work to end this war, bring our troops home, and focus on making life better for Americans.

ICE and immigration

We need to abolish ICE. This is an agency that has lost its loyalty to the Constitution, due process, and the rule of law. Trump’s crackdown on immigrants has been a lawless attempt to target anyone who looks different - including American citizens - and anyone who disagrees with his personal agenda, as we saw with this administration’s murders of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. We are a nation of laws and must treat people fairly under the law. I will support comprehensive immigration reform, including protection of our borders, enforcement of customs rules, and efforts to create a pathway to citizenship for law-abiding undocumented immigrants.

Supreme Court concerns

Yes. Americans have lost confidence in the Supreme Court’s independence and ethical transparency. We need reform.

Housing demand

If you work full time, you should be able to afford a home by 30. The best things we can do to bring down the cost of housing are to build more housing supply and eliminate reckless tariffs. As an engineer and someone who has spent my life building things, I know what that takes. I will work to pass Sen. Slotkin’s bill to declare a national housing emergency and build four million new homes.

Your top priorities

I’m running to build good jobs in Michigan, protect our healthcare, lower costs, protect our democracy, and take on Washington corruption. To build good jobs here, we need to raise the federal minimum wage, protect the right to organize a union, and support our small businesses. I’ll fight for Medicare for All, and in the immediate, I’ll fight to protect the Affordable Care Act and strengthen Medicaid and Medicare. I’ll also fight to immediately lower costs by reversing Trump’s disastrous tariff taxes and making more of what we need here in America. As we fight to protect our democracy, I will do everything in my power to end Trump’s illegal war of choice in Iran. Finally, rooting out Washington corruption means banning Congressional stock trades, getting rid of Corporate PAC money, and creating term limits for those in office.

Why vote for you

I’m the only candidate in this race who is not a career politician, has spent my life building things, and has raised a family here. I’m running for Congress because I believe that the same politicians who got us into this mess are not going to get us out of it. I was the first candidate in this race to reject all corporate PAC money, and I’ve pledged to reject all AIPAC money because I refuse to be influenced by special interest groups. I’m an engineer. I’ve spent my life building and fixing things here in Michigan. That’s going to allow me to bring a new approach to Washington, and fight for everyday people and working families.