Mitch Perry
The nation’s second largest educators union is targeting two South Florida Republicans over their position on DACA.
It comes as the clock continues to count down for Congress to find a solution for the young immigrants known as “Dreamers” before President Donald Trump will cancel an Obama-era executive order known as DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Action).
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is launching an advertising campaign around the issue. It targets Reps. Carlos Curbelo and Illeana Ros-Lehtinen and 32 other Republican members of Congress who signed a letter saying they would vote for a DACA bill.
The ads call on these 34 members to demand Speaker Paul Ryan hold a vote.
The union is working with a number of progressive organizations on these ad campaign, including AFSCME, Hispanic Federation, APALA, NARAL, SEIU, Mi Familia Vota, United We Dream, National Immigrant Law Center and more.
There are also Pandora radio ads that AFT began running this morning in those same 34 congressional districts.
“The ad is disingenuous and is obviously designed to mislead people,”said Curbelo spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez. “No one in Congress – Republican or Democrat – has done more to force a compromise to help Dreamers than Congressman Curbelo. AFT should stop using teachers’ membership dues to spread lies.”
House Democrats expressed frustration Thursday that Republicans were moving the goal posts regarding a DACA deal.
The Hill reports that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said “a solution is in sight,” but also expressing concerns that Republicans are pushing to hard to add border security measures to a final agreement.
You can see lists to the ad targeting Curbelo below.
