As Hillary Clinton attempts to lay the groundwork for a potential presidential run, she is coming under increasing criticism from Hispanic activist groups demanding to know her position on immigration.
After concluding remarks related to increasing support for first responders and workers impacted by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a group of young Hispanics wearing T-shirts reading "Will You Deport My Family?" stood up and began chanting, "Undocumented! Unafraid!"
reported The Business Insider.
The activists from United We Dream, a pro-immigration group, made another appearance Oct. 25 as Clinton was
rallying support for North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan, who is in a tight race with Republican Thom Tillis, reports The Fayetteville Observer.
Before being hustled out of the event, one protester carrying a sign that said, "Hillary do you stand for immigrant families" yelled at Clinton to state her position on deportations.
Clinton chose to address the protest by remarking that she understands "that immigration is an important issue, and we appreciate that."
She added: "We thank you for your advocacy. Make sure you get everybody out to vote."
Her response was not sufficient to the protesters.
"As a potential presidential candidate in 2016, the Latino and immigrant communities need to know whether Hillary Clinton stands with our parents. And unfortunately, she again refused to answer whether she supports the president using his executive authority to protect people like my mother, and the parents of Dreamers across the country, and we demand an answer," Oliver Merino, a member of the Dream Organizing Network, a Charlotte-based affiliate of
United We Dream that organized the protest, said in a statement.
The anger among Hispanic activist groups became more vocal after the Obama administration announced in September that it would delay any executive action until after the midterm elections.
"Every day I live in fear that my mom and dad will be deported to Ecuador, so I was outraged and disappointed at the president’s decision to delay executive action. It was another broken promise and a slap to the face of the Latino and immigrant community. The president and Democrats picked politics over our families," Cristina Jimenez, managing director of United We Dream Network,
told MSNBC.
United We Dream is the largest organization of "immigrant youth" with 55 affiliate organizations in 26 states,
according to its website.
Since September, Jimenez's group has broadened its criticism beyond the administration and is sending a message to Democrats that they cannot automatically rely on Hispanic voters.
"Immigration is not the only issue, but it is the defining issue, and [Hillary Clinton] will need to learn that the old lines and old dynamics no longer apply," Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, a pro-immigration group,
told The New York Times.
Clinton also has been criticized by some Latino groups for appearing at rallies for Hagan and Kentucky Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes, both of whom have taken hard stances on amnesty and immigration, the paper notes.
As she lays the groundwork for a possible presidential candidacy, Clinton has actively courted the Hispanic community through her Ready for Hillary PAC.
On Nov. 18, Clinton will host a reception with prominent Hispanic lawmakers in Washington,
Politico reports.
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