Issued August 26, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- In response to Jeb Bush’s recent comments on immigration, Maria Castaneda, president of the Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus of SEIU, issued the following statement:
Jeb Bush's attempt to walk back his offensive "anchor baby" comments shows how out of touch he is with the everyday lives of Asian Americans. The way that he tried to play the Latino community against the AAPI community shows contempt for both.
SEIU’s Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus stands together with our Latino brothers and sisters in condemning Bush's offensive anti-immigrant, anti-child, anti-family comments. Contrary to the hateful rhetoric coming from many Republican presidential candidates, fairness for immigrant families would result in better jobs and a stronger economy for all.
Bush’s comments show disrespect to the contributions that API immigrants have made to America, from building the transcontinental railroad to growing our nation’s food in California's Central Valley and other parts of the country and providing quality healthcare as nurses, home care providers, hospital workers and other healthcare professionals
Jeb Bush seems intent on alienating not just Latino voters but also the fast-growing Asian American voting bloc, which includes at least 9 million registered voters.
We need the next president to stand up for hard-working immigrant families and provide a path to citizenship for all aspiring Americans. Latino, Asian, and immigrant voters will not stand for this type of hateful and divisive rhetoric and in 2016 we will remember who stands for families and who doesn't.