Washington, DC— As President Bush prepares for his final State of the Union Address on Monday, January 28th, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), a non-partisan membership organization of the nation's more than 6,000 Latino public officials, issued a letter to the White House [click here] recommending that he address several issues that immediately and directly affect the Latino community and the vitality of our nation’s democracy:   

Immigration – Renew the call for passage of comprehensive immigration reform legislation that provides a path to U.S. citizenship for tax-paying and law-abiding newcomers and their families, reduces the immigration backlog, allows full access to educational opportunities for all, and stipulates fair and humane enforcement measures;

Naturalization - Address the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) backlog of naturalization applications with a plan that ensures that those who applied for U.S. citizenship during FY 2007 become naturalized citizens by July 4th of 2008;

Voter Protection – Ensure strict enforcement of the language assistance provisions (Section 203) of the Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments act (VRARA), and pre-clearance requirements for jurisdictions under Section 5 of the VRARA, that wish to adjust their election code but have a history of discriminatory election practices;

2010 Census – Ensure a full and accurate count of everyone in the United States and provide full and adequate funding to accomplish this goal.

“With a presidential election season in full swing, it is imperative that our nation’s leaders continue working towards full inclusion of all Americans,” said Arturo Vargas, Executive Director of NALEO.  “We call on President Bush to bring these vital issues to the attention of Congress and the nation, so we can work together towards ensuring all voices are heard in the American political process and in the process, strengthen our democracy.”

As the President enters his final year in office, NALEO believes that progress toward these goals is attainable, and commits to working with the President, his administration, and Congress to ensure success.