http://www.latimes.com/la-pn-hillary-clinton-immigration-nevada-20150505-story.html By Evan Halper
During a campaign visit to Nevada today, Hillary Rodham Clinton will call for a “full and equal path to citizenship” for immigrants living in the country illegally, drawing a clear distinction from Republican candidates on the issue, a campaign official said.
The remarks, to be made during a round-table discussion at a Las Vegas high school where nearly three-quarters of the student body is Latino, will aim to give Democrats an edge in the key battleground state. Latino voters helped propel President Obama into office and are expected to be pivotal again in 2016.
Many students at the school where Clinton is scheduled to speak today would be eligible for citizenship under the Dream Act, a congressional proposal that has been blocked by Republican lawmakers. The candidate will pledge to carry on the fight. She will characterize GOP alternatives as inadequate proposals that would give "second-class" status to immigrants who have been contributing to the economy for years.
A push for a comprehensive fix to the country’s immigration system will be a cornerstone of the Clinton campaign, the official said. Clinton’s announcement Tuesday is expected to be followed later in the campaign with a detailed policy proposal that lays out the path to citizenship, as well as plans for shoring up security at the border. Like Obama, the candidate will characterize immigration reform as an economic issue, an effort that would bring millions of people out of the black market economy, enabling them to pay taxes.
The visit to Nevada will mark Clinton's third road trip since she announced her run last month. Earlier, she visited Iowa and New Hampshire, where her message was focused on economic growth.
