Hillary Clinton Pledges to Create National Office of Immigrant Affairs, Wins New York State Immigrant Action Fund Endorsement
Hillary Clinton is expected to announce plans to create a national Office of Immigrant Affairs should she emerge as President Barack Obama's successor.
The 2016 Democratic presidential front-runner and former first lady is slated to make her plans official during a Wednesday campaign event where she is also expected to gain the formal endorsement of the New York State Immigrant Action Fund. The announcement comes less than a week before polls open for the critical New York primary on April 19, where a substantial percentage of voters are expected to be Latino.
An aide to the onetime secretary of state detailed that the office would work to coordinate programs and policies across federal, state and local governments and would work to help integrate immigrants, refugees and their children into their communities.
Office Will Assist Undocumented Immigrants and Those Here Legally
The aide stressed that the office is slated to be a tool to aid both undocumented immigrants as well as those here legally.
Clinton has previously gone on record in asserting that if she is elected she will work to bring about immigration reform, aggressively tackling the issue within the first 100 days of her administration.
Throughout much of the campaign season both Clinton and fello Democratic rival Bernie Sanders have both worked to distinguish themselves as the stronger supporter of immigration.
Just hours before Clinton's expected announcement, the Sanders campaign held a press-call Tuesday to highlight her onetime opposition to granting driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants. Not long before then, Clinton blasted Sanders for voting against a 2007 immigration overhaul.
Trump, Cruz Adopt Hardline Stances Against Immigration Reform
While both Clinton and Sanders have toiled to illustrate their commitment to immigration reform, leading Republican challengers Donald Trump and Ted Cruz have taken on a hard-line stance against any such efforts.
Both Republicans have made the vow of mass deportations a staple of their campaign platform, with Trump also pledging to build a massive wall along the Mexican border to keep out immigrants.
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