Forty Latino organizations have challenged all U.S. presidential candidates to respond to a wide-range agenda curated for the Latino community.

Agenda Purpose and Deadline for Presidential Candidates

On Thursday morning, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), comprised of 40 Latino groups across the country, released the "2016 Hispanic Public Policy Agenda," a quadrennial comprehensive blueprint aimed to advance the Latino community. The agenda included topics like education, economic security, the environment, criminal justice, healthcare, immigration, LGBT rights and Puerto Rico's financial crisis.

Along with the report, the NHLA posed a questionnaire for all presidential candidates and set a deadline for responses.

"On the 25th Anniversary of our NHLA Coalition, the 2016 Hispanic Public Policy Agenda reflects a pivotal step in voicing and amplifying our community's needs, while advancing opportunities to make these policy goals a reality," said NHLA Chair Hector Sanchez, who also serves as the executive director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, one of the 40 Latino coalition members.

"Beyond immigration policy, this agenda demonstrates Latinos care about a variety of issues ranging from economic opportunity to early childhood education, civic participation, voting rights, the judiciary, and health care," added Sanchez, noting the growth of the Latino population during the last decade, which recently hit a new peak of 58 million. "This tremendous demographic shift has had an impact on the community outlook, political representation, and electoral power. This agenda, therefore, reflects our aspirations for a better future to ensure a positive impact for our community and, in turn, the entire nation."

The NHLA set March 25 as the deadline for presidential candidates to respond to the questionnaire. The coalition also said it will contact the major political parties, hold events at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, and meet with Congress and the Obama administration on the issues in the agenda.

Economic Security and Puerto Rico

In regards to economic security and empowerment, the NHLA acknowledged that Latinos encounter a wealth gap. The group made several recommendations ranging from the implementation of a fair federal budget that increases economic investments to tax reforms for greater revenues and deficit reduction.

The NHLA also proposed investments in workforce training, particularly for Latino youths and Latinas. For the older Latino population, the NHLA's agenda also called for policies to improve retirement security, expand 401(k) access and deny cuts in Social Security, to name a few.

The coalition also called for a "fair and orderly solution" to Puerto Rico's financial crisis. The commonwealth, currently facing a $72 billion debt crisis, has requested the "tools" to restructure its debt. The NHLA noted Puerto Ricans deserve equal treatment as mainland U.S. citizens, including "full parity with the states of the union in the provision of services and funding for all federal programs."

Education

Recognizing that Latinos comprise more than 25 percent of the public school student population, the NHLA also suggested universal preschool education, strengthened higher education financial aid programs, increased funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions and the enactment of the DREAM Act.

The NHLA also called for better promotion of the Montgomery G.I. Bill for Latino veterans so that the community understands the benefits of enlisting.

Immigration

The 40 Latino groups still favored congressional comprehensive immigration reform with an earned path to citizenship, improved protections for immigrant workers and family reunification provisions. However, in the absence of a congressional bill, the NHLA said it supported the immigration executive actions created by President Barack Obama -- the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA).

The NHLA did add that additional measures must be considered to supplement the executive actions, including deportation relief, particularly for those seeking refuge from violence.

In regards to immigrant detention, the group said immigrants deserve greater access to counsel, and it called for the elimination of mandated bed quotas and contracts from for-profit detention service providers. Alternatives to detention were also proposed for children, women and other vulnerable groups.

The NHLA wanted lawmakers to lower naturalization fees, reduce application processing times and expand adult English language education in order to promote U.S. citizenship.

Civil Rights

The NHLA groups have been working to protect civil and constitutional rights as well. The organization agreed that lawmakers must undermine strategies to prevent Latinos from voting. The NHLA said policymakers should oppose "excessive" documentary requirements that disenfranchise Latino citizens, support early voting and same-day registration, and restore voting rights protections provisions previously in the Voting Rights Act but eliminated by the Supreme Court.

On criminal justice reform, the NHLA recommended ethnic and racial classifications in all relevant criminal justice data, resolution to any allegations of abuse by law enforcement, support for trial and sentencing reforms, including diverse juries, and the adoption of drug reform measures.

The 40 Latino groups noted the coalition opposes legislation establishing English as the national language and any measure that would discriminate against language minorities.

The NHLA policy plan has already received congressional support, including Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. Becerra, referring to the policy plan as "America's agenda," explained the issues affecting the Latino community are the same impacting everyday Americans.

"In the end, we're all dreamers. It's just that for our community, dreamers has a particular significance. It means we aspire and we are aspiring Americans," Becerra said. "But, at the same time, we know that to be able to achieve that aspiration, we need to work really hard. That's what the Dreamers with a capital 'D' have taught us. And if you work hard enough, that dream will come true. And that's why we are here."

"With Latino voters poised to once more play a decisive role in the presidential election, and with our nation's future heavily dependent upon our success in fully integrating the millions of immigrants who have come here to pursue their dreams, and upon providing an equitable and high-quality education to the one quarter of public school children nationwide who are Latino, it is critical that elected officials and those running for office understand the most important issues facing the Latino community," stated NHLA Vice Chair Thomas A. Saenz, who also serves as the president and general counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF).

Among the 40 Latino groups in the NHLA are Alianza Americas, Hispanic National Bar Association, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), National Institute for Latino Policy (NILP) and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

To read the full report, including further recommendations on economic growth, education, immigration, health care, environment and more, click here.

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