Yesterday, in Phoenix, AZ, undocumented youth and allies with the DRM Capitol Group, the Arizona DREAM Act Coalition and others delivered approximately 8,000 petitions to the Arizona Republican Party headquarters, urging Republican candidates to stop opposing the DREAM Act and to change their rhetoric on immigration.
Undocumented youth delivered the petitions on the day before the Arizona primary and pledged to educate the entire Latino community in Arizona about the extreme anti-immigrant policies of GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney. The signatures were collected online and in the streets of Phoenix over the weekend; DREAM advocates have done similar education efforts in Latino communities in Florida, Nevada and other states.
Erika Andiola of DRM Capitol Group, who delivered the petitions, said that the Romney’s anti-immigrant rhetoric is generating anger from Latino voters. She reported that Hispanics “would come to us and they would say ‘What is going on with our Republican candidates?’ Many of the families were mixed status, so some of them were just really outraged — really angry — with some of the things that Mitt Romney has said.”
PHOTOS AND VIDEO:
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For video of the event, click here: http://youtu.be/5rkq8U-C5v4
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Video via DRM Capitol Group: http://youtu.be/I-_4VTahCU8
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Pictures from the event are also featured on our facebook album, here: http://on.fb.me/yayrh9
NEWS COVERAGE:
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Univision News: Arizona dreamers ask GOP candidates to drop tough immigration rhetoric
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Boston Globe: Latino voters group wants GOP candidates to embrace Dream Act
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Financial Times: Republicans Talk Tough on Immigration
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Talk Radio News Service: Undocumented Youth Urge GOP Candidates to Tone Down Rhetoric
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The Washington Times: Arizona Set to Test Romney’s Appeal to Hispanics
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Fox News Latino: DREAM Act Coalition to Deliver Signatures to Arizona GOP
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El Pueblo Unido: Arizona Dreamers Ask GOP Candidates to Drop Tough Immigration Rhetoric