Originally published at Latino USA.
On Thursday afternoon, League of Latin American Citizens (LULAC) CEO Brent Wilkes took to Twitter and delivered a video update that the organization has censured LULAC president Roger C. Rocha Jr. for writing a January 28 letter congratulating President Trump on the White House’s immigration framework.
Update from @LULAC National CEO @BrentWilkes #LULAC pic.twitter.com/EJ8gSsfgCi
— LULAC (@LULAC) February 8, 2018
After restating a position that LULAC had already retracted the letter and is in favor of the Dream Act and against a border wall, Wilkes said the following:
“We have taken steps to censure president Rocha so that he doesn’t make further comments to the media or to the White House that are different than the official position of the organization. And then finally, the national board of LULAC will be meeting on February 16 and and 17 to decide how the organization is going to move forward after this incident occurred. So we apologize to all the advocates and the members who have been working so hard to address the issue of the DREAMers and to try a find a path forward for them, but we are back working hard, and I do want you to know both the staff and the board are working to resolve the matter and get back on track.”
Last Thursday, Rocha told Latino USA that he wouldn’t resign from his position —even though he is facing possible impeachment proceedings from the LULAC board— because he said that he was at the table negotiating with the White House about how best to reach a real bipartisan deal on immigration.
“There are a lot of things on the table still that we have to address,” Rocha said. “And I think when the record is set straight as to why my intentions were about sending out a letter, I think people will actually step back and realize and say, ‘Oh, wait a minute.’ The line in the sand has been drawn, and LULAC is holding the line. And if we lose president Rocha at the table, then guess what, our community loses.”
“The deadline [for a DACA deal] is February the 8th,” he added. “In the event that it does get pushed back until March, I know that I will still be at that table fighting for the community and negotiating for them. I can’t say what’s going to happen afterwards. But at the end of the day, I have to give it my all. But if a deal that is fair to Latinos cannot be reached, then at the end of the day, I will hold my head up high, knowing that I did the best that I could and I will walk out of the negotiations and everything possible.”
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Julio (Julito) Ricardo Varela is the founder of Latino Rebels, co-host of In The Thick and a frequent contributor to Latino USA. He tweets from @julito77.
