Thread: Arizona Latino leaders, White House officials meet for entire day

by Daniel González - Jan. 28, 2012 09:21 PM
The Republic | azcentral.com

A White House meeting in Phoenix on Saturday with local Latino leaders to discuss a wide range of issues ended up being dominated by concerns over President Barack Obama's immigration policies.

The daylong meeting was intended to give local Latino leaders the chance to discuss issues such as jobs, health care and education with senior White House officials. But many of the people who showed up came to vent their frustration with the president's failure to pass immigration reform and the record number of deportations that have taken place since Obama took office three years ago.

The meeting, one of more than two dozen Hispanic summits the White House is holding in cities across the country, highlights the challenges Obama will have courting politically important Latino voters in the November presidential election.

Latinos played a key role in Obama's election in 2008, in part because Obama promised to swiftly pass immigration reforms that would have provided a path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants, the majority of whom come from Mexico and other Latin American countries.

But getting Latinos to vote for him for re-election in November may be more difficult.

"Our vote cannot be taken for granted, and yes he is going to have a difficult time getting the Latino vote, because he has deported more than 1 million people since he has been in office. That (has resulted in) record-breaking deportations and separation of families," said Dulce Matuz, 27, of Phoenix, who is an illegal immigrant from Mexico.

Matuz, who graduated from Arizona State University in 2009 with an engineering degree, is one of many people who attended the meeting to advocate for the Dream Act, legislation that would allow some illegal immigrants brought to this country as minors to gain legal status if they attend college or serve in the military.

The Obama administration sent more than a dozen senior officials representing several federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Labor Department, Health and Human Services, and the Environmental Protection Agency, to meet with local Latino leaders.

Saturday's meeting came three days after Obama visited Intel Corp. in Chandler to tout an economic-recovery and job-creation plan unveiled during his State of the Union address.

Saturday's meeting, held at ASU's downtown Phoenix campus, drew about 300 educators, business people and community leaders.

Participants broke up into groups to discuss issues after being given the opportunity to set their own agenda.

The more than two dozen sessions covered job creation, mortgage fraud, educational attainment, health care, social media and many other issues, but the ones that drew the most people centered on immigration.

At one session, Chris Jones, the principal at Central High School in Phoenix, recounted how the undocumented brother of one of his students was placed on a bus by immigration officials and dropped off at the border in Nogales.

The brother had been supporting the family, Jones said.

"That is not the America I want," Jones told White House officials.

During the same session, Alejandra Chacon, 21, a Phoenix resident who is studying business at ASU, told White House officials that her parents in Mexico have been waiting 15 years for green cards to come to the United States legally.

White House officials told participants that Obama pushed hard to pass immigration reform and the Dream Act, and he remains committed to trying to pass reforms in the future.

Julie Chavez Rodriguez, a White House official, also said the Obama administration has recently made several changes in its deportation policy that focus more attention on deporting criminals as opposed to students and illegal immigrants who otherwise have not committed crimes and have long ties to this country.

But Matuz, the undocumented ASU graduate, said the policy changes have not made her any less afraid of being deported.

She also questioned the timing.

"What I find ironic is that these policy changes come at a time when he is running his campaign for re-election. Why didn't he do these policy changes back in 2008?" she said.


Source: Arizona Latino leaders, White House officials meet

But Matuz, the undocumented ASU graduate, said the policy changes have not made her any less afraid of being deported.

Bet she won't vote for him this time.

Originally Posted by ReggieMay

Bet she won't vote for him this time.

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The 2012 Latino vote (not going to be Republican)


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But guess what: No way will any of us vote for the Republicans in 2012.

The daylong meeting was intended to give local Latino leaders the chance to discuss issues such as jobs, health care and education with senior White House officials. But many of the people who showed up came to vent their frustration with the president's failure to pass immigration reform and the record number of deportations that have taken place since Obama took office three years ago.

This is discrimination pure and simple. I demand equal rights! I demand that he have a meeting with a leader that represents unhypenated Americans. I demand a summit and I know William is ready and willing

Originally Posted by MontereySherry

This is discrimination pure and simple. I demand equal rights! I demand that he have a meeting with a leader that represents unhypenated Americans. I demand a summit and I know William is ready and willing

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The GOVERNOR of Arizona, Jan Brewer, has BEGGED Obama to go with her to the Mexican Border and to sit down in meetings with her and state officials over the Mexican invasion.

HE NEVER HAS DONE IT. Not even FIVE MINUTES!

The daylong meeting was intended to give local Latino leaders the chance to discuss issues such as jobs, health care and education with senior White House officials. But many of the people who showed up came to vent their frustration with the president's failure to pass immigration reform and the record number of deportations that have taken place since Obama took office three years ago.


WE worry about all those and we of course have to vote for the Right Man who can give us all that + Getting rid of the illegals on our backs who helped bring down our jobs..Our health care...and the Education....But hey they can CHECK MARK those off for them since it alls comes free...NOW the only thing they need oops then need nothing its what they want and demand a free ride to become a legal illegal!!!....Must be so nice not to worry about the things that we Americans do....

But many of the people who showed up came to vent their frustration with the president's failure to pass immigration reform and the record number of deportations that have taken place since Obama took office three years ago.
.......Like its their PRESIDENT ..But then again

Originally Posted by MontereySherry

This is discrimination pure and simple. I demand equal rights! I demand that he have a meeting with a leader that represents unhypenated Americans. I demand a summit and I know William is ready and willing

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Reverse discrimination is impossible to prove, especially when those responsible in government for reviewing the cases are racially prejudiced against whites.

"Our vote cannot be taken for granted, and yes he is going to have a difficult time getting the Latino vote."

During the same session, Alejandra Chacon, 21, a Phoenix resident who is studying business at ASU, told White House officials that her parents in Mexico have been waiting 15 years for green cards to come to the United States legally.

It's just plan silly to think that everyone that wants to come should be entitled to come. I'm sure there are hundreds of millions throughout the world that would like to come here if given the opportunity.