Chan and Chakrabarti Debate Immigration at Congressional Forum

Wiener absent as two candidates for Pelosi's seat discuss issues facing immigrant community

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan and former AOC chief of staff Saikat Chakrabarti appeared at a forum organized by the San Francisco Latino Democratic Club to share their views on immigration and other issues. The third major candidate, Sen. Scott Wiener, did not participate, with an empty chair representing his absence. Chan and Chakrabarti, both from immigrant families, emphasized support for the Latino community, healthcare for all, and investment in public education.

Why it matters

The forum provided an opportunity for voters to hear the candidates' positions on key issues facing the immigrant community in San Francisco, as they vie for the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Nancy Pelosi. The absence of Sen. Wiener highlighted divisions within the local Democratic party.

The details

At the forum, Chan and Chakrabarti agreed on several policy positions, including defunding ICE, expanding sanctuary protections, and addressing the immigration court backlog. They differed on the role of the Democratic establishment, with Chakrabarti emphasizing his experience working on progressive legislation and his desire to remake the party, while Chan highlighted her background as a working mom and immigrant.

  • The forum took place on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.
  • The congressional primary election is scheduled for June 2, 2026.

The players

Connie Chan

District 1 Supervisor and candidate for Rep. Nancy Pelosi's congressional seat.

Saikat Chakrabarti

Former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and candidate for Rep. Nancy Pelosi's congressional seat.

Scott Wiener

State Senator and candidate for Rep. Nancy Pelosi's congressional seat, who did not participate in the forum.

Marlen Vasquez

English professor at City College of San Francisco and the moderator of the forum.

Kevin Ortiz

Former president of the San Francisco Latino Democratic Club, who was recently accused of sexual assault.

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What they’re saying

“We need to fix our broken immigration system.”

— Saikat Chakrabarti (missionlocal.org)

“Let's just take back Congress, and then also take back the White House and making sure that we enforce the rule of law.”

— Connie Chan (missionlocal.org)

“Trump is using this military state that got developed over decades, and using it for great destruction, but he didn't create this. He's just using it.”

— Saikat Chakrabarti (missionlocal.org)

What’s next

The congressional primary election is scheduled for June 2, 2026, and the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party affiliation, will face off in the general election on November 3, 2026.

The takeaway

The forum highlighted the differences between the candidates vying for Rep. Nancy Pelosi's congressional seat, with Connie Chan emphasizing her background as a working mom and immigrant, and Saikat Chakrabarti stressing his experience in progressive legislation and desire to remake the Democratic Party. The absence of Sen. Scott Wiener underscored the divisions within the local Democratic party.