Rep. Linda Sánchez got a quick entry to her role as Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair Wednesday after House Republicans approved measures to block President Barack Obama's immigration executive action, do away with a system for prioritizing deportations and end protection from deportation for young immigrants illegally in the country.
The provisions were part of a larger bill paying for Department of Homeland Security operations, which Sánchez said "panders" to the GOP's right wing and attacks society's most vulnerable.
"Shame on Republicans for attacking the Latino community yet again," she said. Advocacy groups and others pledged to use the vote as an attack on Latinos in future elections.
Although it is open to members of both parties, all CHC members are Democrats. However, some members of its Republican counterpart, the Congressional Hispanic Conference, joined Democrats in voting against the measures. Some caucus members voted for some of the measures, although all voted against the final bill.
Republicans saw the votes as protecting the Constitution, which House Speaker John Boehner declared from the House floor and on Twitter:
IN DEPTH:
- Who's Driving Main Street's Growth? Immigrants
- House GOP Vote to Undercut Obama's Immigration Actions
- Dems Announce Events To Inform Immigrants Of Executive Action
–– Suzanne Gamboa