Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of another Latino congressional lawmaker, Rep. Tony Cárdenas, D-Calif., on Wednesday, due to her focus on immigration and juvenile detention.

Cárdenas, a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), announced his endorsement for former Secretary of State Clinton, stating discussions with the former New York senator on key issues helped shape his decision.

"I've met with Secretary Clinton and discussed the priorities we both have, and that is how I know she is the most experienced candidate for president, with the best plan to revitalize our economy and keep our nation on top," Cárdenas said in a statement.

Cárdenas said Clinton shared his "primary focus" to help the 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the U.S. Cárdenas, chairman of the CHC BOLD PAC, said they agreed that immigrants simply want to provide for their families and contribute to the U.S.

"We can create thousands and thousands of jobs and put hundreds of millions of dollars into the economy by passing Comprehensive Immigration Reform," Cárdenas said.

As Latin Post reported, Cárdenas has championed juvenile detention reform. In regards to the Clinton endorsement, he said his discussions with the candidate focused on helping children to contribute to society, "instead of warehousing them in prisons."

Cárdenas previously introduced a congressional resolution, which acknowledged that more than 2,500 children have been given sentences of life in prison, and the U.S. is the only country that grants such sentences without the possibility of parole. During Pope Francis' U.S. trip last September, he penned a letter to the pontiff to address juvenile justice reform.

"Secretary Clinton is in a position to break through a tremendous glass ceiling in America, and it is my fervent hope that when she reaches the White House, she will reach back down and pull others up behind her," Cárdenas said. "A diverse Executive Branch, including a Cabinet that represents all of America, and a more diverse Congress is critical to allow our nation to continue growing."

Cárdenas is the latest prominent Latino figure to endorse Clinton. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, previously endorsed Clinton. Last month, twin brother Julian Castro, current secretary for U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD), also officially endorsed her.

The HUD secretary was long expected to endorse Clinton, but he explained the wait during numerous interview.

On MSNBC, Castro said, "I've long admired Secretary Clinton but just over a year ago I started my job at HUD and for the last 14 months I've really been focused on my work at HUD and I continue to do that but of course the campaign is getting going and I wanted to make sure to lend my support to the person that I believe would make the next president -- next."

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Politics Editor Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

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