FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 10, 2007
CONTACT: Marisa McNee 917-733-2351

Statement from The Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform on Univision GOP Presidential Debate

Washington, DC - Today, Clarissa Martinez, campaign manager for the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, released the following statement in response to the December 9 Univision GOP Presidential debate.

"After weeks of harsh and divisive rhetoric against Latino's and the issue of immigration, it was encouraging to see so many of the GOP presidential candidates at the Univision Spanish Language debate tone down the talk and attempt to engage serious issues of concern to the
Latino community, including immigration.

"Until now, we have heard nothing but harsh language from the field of GOP candidates. Rather than looking for practical solutions to the nation's broken immigration system, they focus on enforcement-only approaches and dog-whistle politics designed solely to pacify those who seek to obstruct real solutions to the problem.

"The real test will be in whether these candidates will put solutions before party politics and begin to lead on the issue of immigration for the good of the country. With the exception of Senator McCain, the Republican presidential candidates have only managed to heat up fear and anxiety around the issue, instead of solve the problem. The candidates will have to make a choice: do they want to join the obstructionists and Know-Nothings and keep the country from moving forward on immigration reform, or are they ready to walk the walk, and finally get something accomplished?"