by Alex Meneses Miyashita
Barack Obama
The presidential candidates of the Demo. cratic and Republican parties are now on record that, if elected in November, they will make immigration reform a priority in their first one hundred days in office.
Addressing hundreds of Latino political leaders in separate appearances at the 25th annual conference of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials June 28 in Washington, D.C., Barack Obama and John McCain stressed the need to fix the current immigration system in a comprehensive way.
About one thousand Hispanic officials gathered in the nation’s capital to participate in the June 25-25 conference.
John McCain
McCain emphasized that the U.S. borders should be secured before creating a temporary worker program or addressing the status of the undocumented. He said the latest congressional attempts to pass comprehensive reform failed because the public demanded that security needs be met first. Obama spoke in favor of securing borders, cracking down on employers who hire unauthorized workers, creating a guest worker program, and offering a path to legalization to 12 million immigrants.
He added the country must work closer with Mexico and Central America to help them strengthen their economies.
Democrat leaders criticized McCain throughout the conference claiming that his position on immigration has been inconsistent since he began campaigning for president. They speculated his vacillation will cost him much Latino support in the fall.
“He flip-flopped on the immigration bill He went backwards,” said Illinois state Sen. Iris Martinez (D), in reaction to his change of position since his initial championing for comprehensive reform with Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) in 2005.
Echoed Wisconsin state legislator Pedro Colon, “The reality is that he’s left his own bill. As a legislator I understand that when I put a bill, I’m committing to a principle.”
Democratic National Committee spokesman Luis Miranda called McCain’s position “enforcement fi rst, comprehensive immigration reform is something different.”
McCain’s supporters countered saying that of the two candidates only he has a track record of leadership to address the issue.
McCain advisor Ana Navarro claimed that Obama has “never led or ever shown any presence on the immigration debate,” calling it “ironic” that Democrats question McCain’s commitment “when he has shown leadership, courage, (and) risked his political skin on the immigration issue.”
Rosario Marín, U.S. Treasurer from 2001 to 2003, praised McCain for “the incredible integrity, stamina and fortitude of character” he had shown on the issue. “Where is Obama in all of this? What has he done?” Of the two candidates, McCain knows the Hispanic community better, she said.
Hispanic leaders asked both candidates questions regarding the economy, trade, education, healthcare and the war in Iraq.
“We are succeeding,” McCain said in reference to the strategy in that war.
Obama, who supports ending the war, said it could take about 16 months to pull the troops out. He commented that the war spending could be targeted for education programs instead and pointed out that aid to Latin America is equivelent to a week’s spending in Iraq.
The candidates expressed positions they have voiced throughout their campaigns.
Both were received warmly by the Hispanic leeders in the audience. Obama, however, received the warmer reception.
‘’It’s a great honor for us to have been one of the 6rst to have a dialogue with both of them,” said Miami Dade County school board member Ana Rivas Logan. “It shows their interest in our issues and our agenda.” She is a NALEO member and McCain supporter. Hispanic Link.
