A prominent immigration advocacy group threw its support behind both Sens. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.) and Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.) for president.
United We Dream Action, one of the largest national immigrant rights groups, announced its endorsement for the two presidential hopefuls Friday.
“Both Warren and Sanders rise far above the rest in their vision and readiness to deliver on our platform for change,” the group said in a video. “Both Warren and Sanders offer an end to the Trump nightmare and would take our country further than any other candidate as we strive toward justice.”
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United We Dream Action ticked through aspects of their platform that both senators have come out in support of, including closing for-profit detention centers, shrinking the budgets for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, and stopping and reviewing deportations within the first 100 days of their administrations.
“We want to be clear: we are not choosing a hero or a protector,” the group said. “This is the start of a new power relationship centered on our platform and on our people.”
The endorsement is the first for the advocacy groups and comes ahead of high-profile Supreme Court battles, including one on the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
The decision to back both Warren and Sanders came after a process that included putting out its own immigration platform, member surveys and asking candidates to complete questionnaires.
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The group reached out to Sanders, Warren, former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete ButtigiegPete ButtigiegScaled-back Pride Month poses challenges for fundraising, outreach Biden hopes to pick VP by Aug. 1 It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process MORE and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro.
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Despite the group’s support for both Warren and Sanders, United We Dream Action warned that it would hold any Democratic nominee accountable to its platform.
“We know what it is like to hold people accountable,” Cristina Jiménez, United We Dream Action’s co-founder and executive director, told BuzzFeed News. “When Obama was in office, we led a fierce movement, and pressured and campaigned for many years for him to stop the deportations of young people, and that’s how we were able to win DACA. What we know is that for the next Democrat in the White House, we will hold them accountable.”
Immigration has been a top issue during the Democratic primary race as several White House contenders rail against Trump administration policies such as building a border wall and the travel ban.