Immigration News Today: DAPA Support Reaffirmed by Hillary Clinton During California Speech
Hillary Clinton used a recent California campaign speech to push for comprehensive immigration reform, vowing to keep all President Barack Obama's executive actions on the issue firmly in place if she is elected.
Speaking before an East Los Angeles College crowd where the student population was 88 percent non-white, Clinton also made it a point of blasting presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump over his pledge to deport millions of immigrants and build a massive wall along the Mexican border.
"With all of the challenges we face in the world, we can't have a loose cannon in the Oval Office," she said in reference to Trump. "That is a risk we cannot afford."
Clinton Pledges Support for DAPA
One of the president's biggest policy proposals, Clinton reiterared her support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DAPA), which gives undocumented immigrants who entered the country before their 16th birthday an opportunity to obtain a two-year work permit and avoid deportation.
"We are a nation of immigrants, and I'm proud of it," said Clinton, who also voiced support for the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) proposal, which aids undocumented parents of U.S. citizen and legal permanent resident children currently in the U.S. to avoid deportation proceedings.
"We are stronger together, and our diversity is one of our strengths," she added. "So if people condemn or scapegoat or criticize or demagogue about immigrants, I wonder: Where are they living?
Clinton later branded all Trump's fiery, anti-immigration rhetoric as "hateful."
Clinton was joined on the podium by Mayor Eric Garcetti, U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., and Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis and their words seemed to resonate with many.
Pols, Organization Leaders Line up Behind Clinton
Later, leaders and organizations from across the country joined the former first lady by releasing statements chastising Trump, among them Reps. Luis Gutierrz, D-Ill., Xavier Beccerra, D-Calif., and Ruben Gallego, D.-Ariz., Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., and the Latino Victory Fund and the Hispanic Foundation.
In addition, Sens. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Al Franken, D-Minn., Bob Menendez, D-N.J., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Planned Parenthood's Cecile Richards and entertainer Kenny Hamilton all took to social media to express their displeasure with Trump's position.
"Let's be clear: Donald Trump is a bully," said Gutierrez. "In the face of a candidate that leads with insults and bigotry, we must turn Trump's divisive rhetoric into actions and stand by Hillary Clinton. That's how you deal with bullies and bigots. From Latinos to Muslims to all immigrants across this nation -- Hillary Clinton will fight to break down barriers for everyone."
Meanwhile, Boxer called attention to Trump's avowed plan even flying in opposition to a conservative think tank study that concluded such deportations would be a drain on the overall economy.
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