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LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS National Office |
2000 L Street, NW, Suite 610 PRESS RELEASE |
| For Immediate Release October 2, 2002 |
Contact: Lorraine Quiroga |
Washington, DC - The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) condemned the anti-immigrant behavior of US Representative Tom Tancredo (R-CO) after the Congressman demanded that the Immigration and Naturalization Service deport an undocumented 18-year-old high school honors graduate whose story was featured in the Denver Post. Last month, after the Denver Post wrote about the young undocumented immigrant's struggle to pay for college, Tancredo reported the teen and his family to the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
"Nothing could be more mean-spirited than to sic the INS on a low income student who has beaten the odds and graduated from high school with honors," stated Hector Flores, LULAC National President. "Congressman Tom Tancredo's behavior toward this student and his family is an example of the extremist anti-immigrant racism that continues to be espoused by some members of Congress."
Adding insult to injury, the Post has since reported that 5 of 6 workers remodeling Tancredo's home last fall were undocumented.
"Congressman Tancredo has shown the world that he is the prototypical anti-immigrant hypocrite," states Brent Wilkes, LULAC National Executive Director, "He complains bitterly about undocumented immigrants yet takes advantage of their labor when it suits his needs. It is high time that Tancredo's colleagues recognize that these workers are helping us and pass legislation that will allow them to legalize their status."
LULAC will be sending a letter to the 62 representatives who are members of Tancredo's Immigration Reform Caucus urging them to withdraw from the caucus in light of Tancredo's recent behavior. "We plan to publicize the list of caucus members who refuse to withdraw in order for the Hispanic community to make informed decisions during the upcoming elections," said Flores.
The League of United Latin American Citizens is the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the United States. LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide.