California – “Dreamers”, undocumented young people who support the Dream Act, plan on staging protests throughout California to “unwelcome” Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. They are hoping to change his position on the Dream Act in order to help him win over Latino voters.
The Dream Act would allow some undocumented teens and 20-somethings to become legal residents if they attended college or joined the military and maintained a clean criminal record. Late last year the bill failed in the Democratic controlled Senate. Democrats have vowed to pass the bill and Obama wants to sign it.
Mitt Romney on the other hand has vowed to veto the bill if it ever gets to his desk as President. His position has been backed up by several Republicans.
The bill has very few Republican supporters because they claim that providing a path to citizenship for any undocumented people is akin to “Amnesty” and rewards lawlessness. This could be a significant problem for GOP candidates trying to woo Latino voters, who by and large support the bill. Latino voters, both documented and undocumented plan on joining the youth at the rallies.
Mitt Romney claims that as a Presidential candidate he will be able to assemble a coalition of voters and he often includes Latinos in that equation.
The group said in a statement,
The rallies are meant “to send a message that undocumented youth do have a voice in this electoral year — the Latino vote,”
Protests against Mitt Romney will take place in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Irving and San Diego.
