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Jul 22, 2007 11:57 am US/Eastern

Clinton, Obama Address La Raza Conference

Rachael Aram
Reporting

(CBS4) MIAMI BEACH Two top Democratic contenders in the presidential race spoke Sunday to the National Council of La Raza, the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights group.

Sunday morning, New York Senator Hillary Clinton told the gathering at the Miami Beach Convention Center, she would prefer to pass a comprehensive immigration bill that would provide a path to legalization for immigrants in the United States.

But, she was quick to add, there were some aspects of the current immigration reform proposal that she believes have a chance of passing on their own. For example, she pointed to the so called "Deam Act" that would help students who are brought to the U.S. as young children go to college and eventually become citizens.

Illinois Senator Barack Obama addressed the conference Sunday afternoon.

The organization had invited the top three Republican candidates; Mitt Romney, John McCain and Rudy Giuliani to speak as well, but all three said they would not be able to attend according to La Raza officials.

Other conference speakers include Gov. Charlie Crist, Wal-Mart President Lee Scott and the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Also during the conference, La Raza will launch a new campaign to register and mobilize millions of immigrant voters, who are mostly Hispanic, to take part in next year's presidential elections.

La Raza's 2007 Annual Conference and Latino Expo will run through Tuesday.


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