Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton returned to Las Vegas Thursday, one month after she commandeered a roundtable centered on immigration reform that would pave a pathway to citizenship.
Addressing over 1,200 Latino leaders at the Aria Resort and Casino, the former secretary of state strayed from last month's message and focused primarily on language barriers thousands of undocumented families face both educationally and in the workplace.
"Some parents have actually been told that they should not speak to their babies in their native language," Clinton said in a 30-minute address to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. "But that is just not correct. The research is clear - that whether it's Spanish or English or Russian or Chinese, more talking to your babies is always better and it helps to build their brains."
Clinton called for universal pre-school and free community colleges, as well as advocating for paid sick and paternity leave policies. She noted that one-quarter of children under age 5 in the United States are Latino and are directly affected by what she called a "word gap."
"I think all our kids need the opportunity to get off to the best possible start, but too many of our children are starting off behind, especially families where economic pressures on parents translate into less time for their kids," Clinton said.
The former first lady spent about five minutes discussing immigration reform, instead focusing on childhood development, jobs, education, and voting rights. She also took a moment to reflect on Wednesday's mass shooting in Charleston, S.C. that left nine dead at a historically black church.
Clinton's speech ran counter to Republican candidate Donald Trump's controversial message on immigration reform a day earlier. In announcing his intent to run for the GOP nomination, Trump vowed to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border that he would force Mexico to pay. He bashed Mexican immigrants as "people that have lots of problems."
"They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists, and some, I assume, are good people," Trump said.
Clinton contended that the comments were "emblematic" of the kind of rhetoric that led to the South Carolina Shooting. Other Republican hopefuls haven't been as blunt on immigration reform.
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is open to the idea of immigration reform, and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson was the only conservative candidate to at the NALEO conference, saying the importance of securing the borders depends on national security concerns.
All major Republican candidates were invited but only Carson showed up. He said millions of undocumented workers should be able to stay under a guest worker program which they would be required to register for, adding that they would have to apply for U.S. citizenship like everyone else.
"There are many Latinos who are American citizens and have done it the right way, and they're of equal value with everybody else, so we shouldn't just toss them to the curb. And they're many who feel that way," Carson said.
For all of her pro-immigration reform efforts, there is still doubt among lawmakers whether she is committed or solely doing it for political gain.
Reince Priebus said Clinton will "say anything to get elected" by making promises she won't keep. In his statement, the RNC chairman said he believes Latinos deserve to know that the Democratic candidate is looking out for her political ambitions instead of her interests.
As a New York senator, Clinton voted for the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which authorized construction of 700 miles of double fencing along the border. She and then-senator Barack Obama backed off the bill two years later in the run-up to the 2008 presidential election. During her 2008 campaign, Clinton stated her opposition to issuing driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants.
Clinton reversed position earlier this year.
"I will continue to fight for comprehensive immigration reform with a real path to citizenship for families," Clinton said Thursday. "I will stand up against any attempt to expose DREAMers to deportation. And as I said recently in Las Vegas, if Congress continues to refuse to act, as president I will do everything possible under the law to go even further than President Obama has."
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