New America’s Voice Spanish Radio Ad Highlights Marco Rubio’s Support of Donald Trump and His Own Efforts to End DACA
Florida DREAMers and their allies are turning up the heat on Marco Rubio for turning his back on the immigrant community.
As Sergio Bustos lifts up in a new story in Politico Florida, America’s Voice is launching a new Spanish language radio ad in Florida highlighting that Donald Trump wants to end DACA and that Marco Rubio supports Trump and supports ending DACA. The ad features Floridian and DACA recipient Juan Escalante, who came with his parents at an early age from Venezuela before he eventually earned a Master’s degree from Florida State. Bustos writes:
“In the ad, Escalante, who cannot vote, urges others to vote on his behalf.
“DACA, which Obama implemented, lets me work without fear of deportation,” he says. “However, Donald Trump has promised to eliminate it on his first day as president. Marco Rubio supports Trump. Patrick Murphy supports DREAMers. This November I am asking you, a citizen, to vote for me.”
Escalante says Rubio, the son of Cuban-American immigrants, was being hypocritical during his failed presidential run in talking about his family’s immigration story and not giving other immigrants a chance to make it in America.
“Rubio will try to sell you the immigrant story about his parents, how they worked hard, and eventually were able to achieve the American Dream — and while that sounds great on the campaign trail, the truth is that he is trying to ensure that no such opportunity is presented to young immigrants like myself,” Escalante told POLITICO Florida.”
In addition to the new ads, Florida DREAMers and community leaders continue to express anger and betrayal at Senator Rubio for his continued support of Donald Trump – a man obviously unfit for the presidency.
“I’m disappointed with Marco Rubio. He should know better,” said Nicaraguan DACA recipient Ariel Rojas of Sunrise, FL , who was one of nearly fifty people who attended a Ft. Lauderdale debate watch party organized by FLIC VOTES, Students Working for Equal Rights (SWER), DREAMer Moms and SEIU Florida on Sunday night. “He knows where his parents came from. He lives in a community full of immigrants. He has no excuse.”
During his failed presidential run, Senator Rubio pledged to end DACA on his “first day in office” while also backing away from his support for immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship. Rubio and other Republicans also oppose the 2014 DAPA and DACA expansion immigration executive actions that would provide temporary legal status to people like Maria Patricia Carbo — a DREAMer and mother of four who could be ripped away from her American-born children and her citizen parents without a legislative path forward or legal protections provided through executive action programs.
“Separating families is not morally correct,” said Carpo, would have been eligible for temporary legalization under both President Obama’s proposed DAPA program and proposed extension of DACA for those over 30. “It’s a very complicated subject, but you have to do what’s right. I don’t think this country believes in separating families and hurting American children.”
“Marco Rubio says that he can be a firewall against all that is wrong with Donald Trump. But what is he actually doing when he has a chance to do that now?” said Elbert Garcia, State Director of Florida’s Voice. “These DREAMers are a key part of our communities. They may not be able to vote, but they are doing what they can to stand up to a man who ship them — our proud history of immigration – away on the first day of his presidency. Why won’t Sen. Rubio do his fair share?”
Click here to listen to the Florida Ad.
