Latinos United for Immigration Reform

Aug 15, 2014 - NATIONAL LATINO LEADERS PRAISE NOMINATION OF NEW LATINO APPOINTEES, INCLUDING NOMINATION OF SARAH SALDANA AS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 29, 2014

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, a coalition of 39 preeminent national Latino organizations, responded to President Barack Obama’s most recent nominations designating Latino leaders to serve in key posts in his Administration.

Especially noteworthy for the coalition is the President’s nomination of current U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Sarah R. Saldaña, to serve as Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Department of Homeland Security. Our NHLA coalition members at the Hispanic National Bar Association named Sarah R. Saldaña as their 2011 Latina Attorney of the Year. If a majority of U.S. Senators vote to support her confirmation, she'll become the first Latina to lead ICE -- the government’s second biggest investigative agency and an agency that will be critical to whatever executive action the President may call for in terms of immigration reform.

Additional Latino appointments and nominations announced by the White House yesterday include:
* Gilberto de Jesús – Nominee for Chief Counsel for Advocacy, Small Business Administration
* Danny Marti – Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, Executive Office of the President
* Carlos Monje, Jr. – Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, Department of Transportation
* Carlos Torres – Deputy Director, Peace Corps

In response to the recent announcement, NHLA leaders released the following remarks:

“NHLA is proud to congratulate U.S. Attorney Sarah Saldaña and the President’s most recent Latino nominees and appointees -- each of whom will bring to the Administration a strong professional record,” said Hector Sanchez, NHLA Chair and Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement. “Though much work remains when it comes to bringing parity to the government, the President’s recent nominations and appointments, along with the fact that there are now three Latinos serving in Cabinet-level posts, mark important steps in the right direction. It is imperative that government leaders -- as well as local and state-level organizations and individuals -- build on this progress to ensure that the diversity of America is fully represented in key policy-making positions, particularly in positions in areas like the Department of Homeland Security that directly impact Latino and immigrant communities in the U.S.”

“Sarah Saldaña is an outstanding choice for one of the nation’s most difficult jobs,” stated LULAC National Executive Director Brent Wilkes. “As the first Latina to head the agency that enforces federal laws governing border control, customs, trade and immigration; Ms. Saldaña brings a wealth of law enforcement and community engagement experience to the government’s second biggest investigative agency. We look forward to her swift confirmation by the Senate.”

“The HNBA commends President Obama for his selection of Sarah Saldaña to serve as Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Department of Homeland Security,” said Hispanic National Bar Association National President Miguel Alexander Pozo. “Ms. Saldaña’s impeccable career and diverse experience, both in private practice and as a civil servant, will be tremendous assets to Ms. Saldaña in her new role. In particular, her expertise and significant accomplishments as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas will be particularly useful as the unaccompanied children crisis at our Southern border continues to unfold.”

“The HNBA also applauds the nomination of HNBA member, Danny Marti, to serve in the important role of Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator,” said Mr. Pozo. “Mr. Marti has had a distinguished career as an IP practitioner and law firm partner. His wealth of experience and practical approach to solving complex problems will be of tremendous value to him in this critical role. We look forward to seeing great progress in protecting intellectual property rights under his leadership.”

“NALEO applauds President Obama’s nomination of U.S. Attorney Sarah Saldaña to head Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the government’s second largest investigative agency,” said NALEO Executive Director Arturo Vargas. “Ms. Saldaña’s distinguished career combines extensive experience as a federal prosecutor and a private litigator with a solid record of community and civic service. Since 2011, Ms. Saldaña has served as the chief federal prosecutor in the Northern District of Texas, making her the state’s first Latina U.S. Attorney. The appointment of Ms. Saldaña as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas brought much needed diversity to an office where no Latinos and only one woman had ever served in the District’s 130-year history. If appointed as head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement she would be the nation’s first Latina to oversee the agency. We congratulate Ms.Saldaña on her nomination and look forward to supporting her through the confirmation process.”

# # #

Established in 1991, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) brings together Hispanic leaders to establish policy priorities that address, and raise public awareness of, the major issues affecting the Latino community and the nation as a whole. Since creating its Latino Appointments Program in January 2013, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda has worked tirelessly to increase the representation of Latinos in the Administration. The coalition is active in calling for the inclusion of Latinos in entry-level to Cabinet-level political appointments. For more information, please visit www.latinoappointments.org and follow @NHLAgenda.

###

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
| Melody Gonzales | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (202) 508-6917 |
| Estuardo Rodriguez | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 202-631-2892 |

NHLA MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS:
American GI Forum | ASPIRA Association, Inc. | Avance | Casa de Esperanza | Cuban American National Council | Farmworker Justice | Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities | Hispanic Federation | Hispanic National Bar Association | Inter-University Program for Latino Research | Labor Council for Latin American Advancement | Latino Justice PRLDEF | League of United Latin American Citizens | MANA, A National Latina Organization | Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund | National Alliance of Latin American & Caribbean Communities | NALEO Educational Fund | National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives | National Association of Hispanic Publications | National Association of Latino Independent Producers | National Conference of Puerto Rican Women, Inc. | National Council of La Raza | National Hispana Leadership Institute | National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators | National Hispanic Council on Aging | National Hispanic Environmental Council | National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts | National Hispanic Media Coalition | National Hispanic Medical Association | National Institute for Latino Policy | National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health | National Puerto Rican Coalition, Inc. | Presente.org | SER – Jobs for Progress National, Inc. | Southwest Voter Registration Education Project | United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce | United States Hispanic Leadership Institute | United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce | U.S.-Mexico Foundation

  • JAN 13, 2015 - NATIONAL LATINO LEADERS URGE CONGRESS TO VOTE NO ON REPEAL OF PRESIDENT'S IMMIGRATION ACTIONS +

    PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION January 13, 2015 Votes on Amendments to Homeland Security funding bill will be included in NHLA’s Congressional Scorecard Washington, D.C. -- The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 39 of the nation's preeminent Latino organizations, sent a letter to every member of the U.S. House of Representatives today strongly urging them to vote against the Aderholt, Blackburn, and DeSantis amendments to H.R. 240, the Fiscal Year 2015 Homeland Security Appropriations Act, that would repeal or impede the implementation of President Obama’s administrative actions to address some of the most immediate and damaging flaws in… Read More

  • Dec 4, 2014 - NATIONAL HISPANIC COALITION URGES CONGRESS TO VOTE AGAINST REPEAL OF PRESIDENT'S IMMIGRATION ACTIONS +

    PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION December 4, 2014 NATIONAL HISPANIC COALITION URGES CONGRESS TO VOTE AGAINST REPEAL OF PRESIDENT'S IMMIGRATION ACTIONSVotes on HR 5759 and similar measures will be included in NHLA Congressional Scorecard Washington, D.C. -- The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 39 of the nation's preeminent Latino organizations, sent a letter to every member of the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday strongly urging them to vote against H.R. 5759, the Executive Amnesty Prevention Act of 2014, and any similar legislation that seeks to repeal President Barack Obama's recent administrative action to provide relief from deportation to parents of U.S.… Read More

  • Dec 3, 2014 - NATIONAL HISPANIC COALITION OPPOSES BILL TO REPEAL PRESIDENT'S ACTION ON IMMIGRATION +

    PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION December 3, 2014 NATIONAL HISPANIC COALITION OPPOSES BILL TO REPEAL PRESIDENT'S ACTION ON IMMIGRATIONBill would prevent relief to families torn apart by deportation Washington, D.C. -- The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 39 of the nation's preeminent Latino organizations, strongly opposes H.R. 5759, the Executive Amnesty Prevention Act of 2014, and any similar legislation that seeks to repeal President Barack Obama's recent administrative action to provide relief from deportation to parents of U.S. citizen and legal permanent resident children and would expand eligibility for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. H.R. 5759… Read More

  • Nov 21, 2014 - NATIONAL LATINO LEADERS WELCOME PRESIDENT'S ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION ON IMMIGRATION +

    FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION November 21, 2014 NATIONAL LATINO LEADERS WELCOME PRESIDENT'S ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION ON IMMIGRATION Coalition Renews Call For Congress to Enact Immigration Reform As Soon As Possible Washington, DC -- The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 39 of the nation's preeminent Latino organizations, welcomed President Barack Obama's announcement, which he elaborated on in Las Vegas today, to grant affirmative relief from deportation to nearly five million undocumented immigrants, and vowed to continue to advocate for just, humane and inclusive immigration policy in the United States. "We are very pleased that the President is taking action to enable… Read More

  • Nov 20, 2014 - NATIONAL COALITION OF LATINO ORGANIZATIONS WELCOMES PRESIDENT’S ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION ON DEPORTATION RELIEF +

    FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION November 20, 2014 NATIONAL COALITION OF LATINO ORGANIZATIONS WELCOMES PRESIDENT’S ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION ON DEPORTATION RELIEF Washington, DC – The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, a coalition of 39 of the nation's preeminent Latino organizations, welcomed President Barack Obama’s announcement of his plan to grant affirmative relief from deportation to around five million undocumented immigrants. NHLA has urged the President to take action on deportations throughout the year, lifting the voices of Latino immigrants and family members impacted by the harsh realities of deportation, and making the case for how he could use his administrative authority to provide the broadest… Read More

  • Nov 10, 2014 - NATIONAL LATINO LEADERS CALL FOR CLOSURE OF FAMILY DETENTION CENTERS +

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 10, 2014 NATIONAL LATINO LEADERS CALL FOR CLOSURE OF FAMILY DETENTION CENTERS Government should instead use humane, effective, less costly community-based alternatives Washington, DC -- The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 39 of the nation's preeminent Latino organizations, is calling on the Obama Administration to close existing family detention centers, scrap plans for opening new ones, and implement alternatives to detention that have proven to be successful and more humane. Most of those held at detention centers are women and children fleeing violence in Central America, and many have survived abuse in their home… Read More

  • Nov 7, 2014 - NATIONAL LATINO ORGANIZATIONS CALL ON SENATE LEADER AND CONGRESSIONAL HISPANIC CAUCUS TO PRESS PRESIDENT FOR IMMEDIATE EXECUTIVE ACTION +

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 7, 2014 NATIONAL LATINO ORGANIZATIONS CALL ON SENATE LEADER AND CONGRESSIONAL HISPANIC CAUCUS TO PRESS PRESIDENT FOR IMMEDIATE EXECUTIVE ACTION With conclusion of mid-term elections, there is no excuse for delaying action to stop deportations that are tearing apart families and communities Washington, DC -- The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 39 of the nation's preeminent Latino organizations, is calling on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and its natural allies in Congress – the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) – to weigh in strongly with President Barack Obama on the need for affirmative relief from deportation to… Read More

  • Nov 5, 2014 - NATIONAL LATINO LEADERS CALL ON PRESIDENT TO FULFILL PROMISE WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY TO HALT DEPORTATIONS FOR MILLIONS +

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 5, 2014 NATIONAL LATINO LEADERS CALL ON PRESIDENT TO FULFILL PROMISE WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY TO HALT DEPORTATIONS FOR MILLIONS Administrations most recent delay already led to additional 70,000 deportations, tearing apart families and communities Washington, DC -- The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 39 of the nation's preeminent Latino organizations, calls on President Barack Obama not to delay in fulfilling his promise to grant affirmative relief from deportation to as broad a range of undocumented immigrants as possible. The president, who previously committed to take action before the end of the summer, then said… Read More

  • Oct 8, 2014 - HISPANIC LEADERS CALL ON PRESIDENT TO ALLOW HEALTH CARE ACCESS FOR DEFERRED ACTION RECIPIENTS +

    For Immediate Release October 8, 2014 HISPANIC LEADERS CALL ON PRESIDENT TO ALLOW HEALTH CARE ACCESS FOR DEFERRED ACTION RECIPIENTS Immigrants brought to the U.S. as children and those who benefit from expanded administrative relief should have access to the programs their taxes pay for Washington, D.C. -- The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 39 of the nation's preeminent Latino organizations, has called on President Barack Obama and HHS Secretary Sylvia Matthews Burwell to restore access to affordable health coverage and care to those enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which the President established… Read More

  • Aug 1, 2014 - NATIONAL HISPANIC COALITION URGES "NO" VOTES ON BORDER SUPPLEMENTAL AND ANTI-DREAMER BILLS +

    PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION August 1, 2014 National Hispanic Coalition Urges "No" Votes on Border Supplemental and anti-DREAMer Bills Washington, D.C. -- The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 37 of the nation's preeminent Latino organizations, released the following statement expressing its strong opposition to the revised border supplemental funding and DACA restriction bills that are scheduled to be considered by the full House tonight. As NHLA made clear to Congress in its July 16 letter and reiterated yesterday, NHLA intends to score votes on such legislation as that being considered in the House today. "The House of… Read More

  • Jul 31, 2014 - NATIONAL HISPANIC LEADERS OPPOSE BILL TO BLOCK EXECUTIVE ACTION ON DEPORTATIONS +

    PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION July 31, 2014 National Hispanic Leaders Oppose Bill to Block Executive Action on Deportations Bill would prevent relief to families torn apart by current deportation policies Washington, D.C. -- The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 37 of the nation's preeminent Latino organizations, sent a letter to every member of the U.S. House of Representatives today expressing strong opposition to H.R. 5272, a bill that would block federal agencies from issuing any new policies that defer deportation and would prevent any future grants of work authorization to new recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood… Read More

  • Jul 30, 2014 - NATIONAL HISPANIC LEADERS URGE "NO" VOTE ON HOUSE BORDER SUPPLEMENTAL BILL +

    National Hispanic Leaders Urge "No" Vote on House Border Supplemental Bill Rolling back due process rights for vulnerable children is not the answer to the humanitarian situation along the southern border Washington, D.C. -- The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 37 of the nation's preeminent Latino organizations, issued the following statement opposing H.R. 5230, a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to provide supplemental funding for border security and handling the humanitarian situation of increased child migration. The House of Representatives is expected to vote on H.R. 5230 this week, possibly as early as Wednesday. "The… Read More
  • 1
  • 2
› ‹