Phoenix trio in Las Vegas for reform launch

ArizonaLatinos.com staff

The White House has invited a small group of Phoenix Democratic political elites to be in Las Vegas Tuesday when President Barack Obama announces his plan to reform our country’s broken immigration system.

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, Phoenix Councilman Michael Nowakowski, and state Rep. Ruben Gallego will be among the Arizona contingent attending Obama’s kick-off rally for immigration reform.

 Stanton, who has worked his first year in office to repair a negative, post-SB 1070 image of Arizona, said in a statement: “As the mayor of the sixth-largest city in the nation where our hard-working families and kids are pursuing the American dream, I will be there on behalf of our city. We need a big change on immigration, and as detailed plans emerge, I’m looking forward to our nation getting started.”

Nowakowski, an advocate of comprehensive immigration reform, is a supporter of the immigrant community in Phoenix. 

“I am hopeful this will be a turning point for Phoenix and the rest of the country when it comes to the thousands of immigrants we have working and living in our communities,” Nowakowski said. “We are overdue for a change and I am willing and ready to help move our city forward.”

Ruben Gallego, the state legislator from House District 16, told ArizonaLatinos.com:  “I think clearly this is something very positive happening on immigration. You can tell from the frustration in (U.S Senator John) McCain’s voice when making the announcement that he didn’t want to give this victory to Obama. In the end, as long as a good Congressional immigration bill is passed, it doesn’t matter who gets the credit. The Latino community ultimately gets the credit.”

Gallego added that the president selected Las Vegas as the kick-off location because it “has a growing Latino population that was a big factor in turning Nevada blue.”