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Press Release
LULAC
National President speaks at U.S. Chamber of Commerce over
Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Fixing a Broken System
Hector Flores
targeted federal anti-immigration proposals that increase
discrimination and crime without improving public safety
October 18, 2005
Contact: Brenda Alvarez,
(202) 833-6130
Washington, DC – The national
president of the League of United Latin American
Citizens, Hector Flores, joined key public and
private sector leaders today for an event hosted
by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce dubbed
Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Fixing a
Broken System.
This half-day event addressed
current legislative proposals; the economic
impact of immigration; and how to create a
realistic system that provides the workers
needed for economic growth.
As president of the oldest and
largest Hispanic civil rights organization in
the country, Flores provided LULAC’s perspective
on immigration and discussed current federal
immigration legislation.
Specifically, Flores discussed
two pieces of federal anti-immigration
legislation that have the serious potential of
increasing discrimination and crime without
improving public safety.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson of
Texas recently introduced a bill to allow local
law enforcement to serve as de-facto immigration
agents. In addition, the proposal is an
unfunded mandate, requiring police to perform
duties they haven’t been trained for without
additional resources.
Cong. John Culberson of
Houston introduced legislation this past summer
to authorize governors to deputize armed
civilians and deploy them as a militia to serve
alongside the Border Patrol. Furthermore, the
bill encourages armed civilians to keep and bear
arms, as well as use any means and any force to
prevent people from unlawfully entering the
United States.
“LULAC is strongly opposed to
Hutchinson’s bill and others like it,” said
LULAC national president Hector Flores. “These
bills do not offer real solutions to
immigration. Instead, they carry severe risks
that fuel anti-immigrant sentiments, increase
racial profiling and encourage criminals to
further victimize immigrants as we recently saw
in Georgia.”
Flores added, “We can no
longer continue to hold accountable people who
are trying to feed their families. When you
have a labor market that needs these people,
they come. Let’s look at the realities of
immigration and create a comprehensive
immigration reform plan that includes earned
legalization. America deserves constructive
solutions that promote long-term opportunities
for everyone.”
The League of United Latin
American Citizens (www.lulac.org)
advances the economic condition, educational
attainment, political influence, health, and
civil rights of Hispanic Americans through
community-based programs operating at more than
700 LULAC councils nationwide.
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