Thread: Barack Obama woos Hispanic vote with promise of citizenship

Barack Obama woos Hispanic vote with promise of citizenship for 12m illegal migrants

By Alex Spillius in Washington
Last Updated: 11:24AM BST 09/07/2008
Barack Obama has pledged to push through immigration reforms that would give America's 12 million illegal migrants a form of citizenship.


AFP/GETTY Barack Obama addresses the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) convention

"I will make it a top priority in my first year as President - not only because we have an obligation to secure our borders and get control of who comes in and out of our country...but because we have to finally bring undocumented immigrants out of the shadows," he said in a speech in Washington.

Both the Democratic nominee and his Republican rival Senator John McCain addressed the League of United Latin American Citizens, the largest Latino organization in the country.

Mr McCain, who co-sponsored failed immigration legislation last year is now in the awkward position of distancing himself from his own initiative. He now says any reform must be preceded by securing US borders.

Hispanics are a crucial voting bloc. A recent AP-Yahoo News poll showed that Mr Obama leading Mr McCain among Hispanics, 47 percent to 22 percent, but with 26 percent undecided.

Despite his advantage, Mr Obama fared poorly in the Democratic primary among Hispanics against Senator Hillary Clinton.

He told his audience that their vote was crucial in swing states such as Florida, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico. John Kerry lost the New Mexico by 6,000 votes, with 40,000 Latino voters failing to show up at the polls.

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He can promise them all he wants but it's not his decision. The American people made sure this didn't happen a year ago and won't EVER let it happen. We've learned our lesson from 1986 but apparently our elected officials have not.