A favorite Chicano leader of mine is Joaquín Castro of San Antone. Mexican-Americans tend to trust Mexican-American leaders because the issue directly impacts Mexican-American families.
Kudos to Joaquin….
AUSTIN — U.S. Rep. Joaquín Castro used the scene at the Texas Public Policy Foundation‘s annual conference luncheon to illustrate the importance of immigration policy to a state as ethnically diverse as Texas.
“We don’t know whether the folks here are documented or undocumented, but it demonstrates the hard work ethic of the Latino community and the fact that there is a great need for their work,” Castro said, referencing the banquet servers at the Grand Ballroom of the downtown Hilton, many who spoke Spanish and smiled as panelists debated immigration reform on the dais.
“It’s not a glamorous job, but it’s part of what keeps the economic engine of America running,” said Castro, whose grandmother immigrated to San Antonio from Mexico and found work as a maid.
On stage, Castro laid out policies he plans to take to Washington, calling for “comprehensive immigration reform” to address the presence of an estimated 15 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.
“I think we should pass the DREAM Act,” he said. “We should offer the ‘DREAMers’ a pathway to citizenship, and we should offer other immigrants, who can demonstrate that they’ve worked here and paid taxes, a pathway to citizenship.”
The agricultural industry self-reports that about 50 percent of its workers are undocumented, said Castro, who was introduced as “one of the new stars of Congress.”
