NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro says the Obama administration missed an early opportunity to pass immigration reform and that he'd push the issue within months of taking office if he's elected in 2020.
The former Obama administration Housing and Urban Development Secretary made the comments Thursday as he met with immigrants and immigrant advocates in a heavily Latino neighborhood of North Las Vegas.
Castro wouldn't say if his former boss made a mistake by focusing on passing the Affordable Care Act health care law in 2009 and 2010 instead of immigration. But Castro says that an opportunity was missed to pass the DREAM Act that would have protected some young immigrants living in the country illegally from deportation.
The former San Antonio mayor is the only Latino candidate in the 2020 race.