SEIU Spanish TV Ads Call on Portman, Rubio, Other Republicans to Stand with Immigrant Families over Extremists Who Would Shut Down Government and Tear Families Apart

Immigrant Families Send Signal That Republicans Who Side with Anti-Immigrant Extremists Will Be Held Accountable in 2016 and Beyond

WASHINGTON--On the eve of Republican-led discussions about whether to withhold funding and even shut down the federal government over the president's bold immigration action, immigrant and working families are sending a message to senators: stand with immigrants and families over extremists.

Hard-hitting television ads that begin airing Tuesday underscore that immigrant families will remember the names of those who would shut down government or tear families apart to score political points. The ad buy is an initial step in what will be a long-term bid to hold anti-immigrant elected officials accountable.

The Spanish-language ads will run in seven states: Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. They call on Latinos to contact their senators--U.S. Sen.-elect Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Sens. Dean Heller (R-NV), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Rob Portman (R-OH), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Pat Toomey (R-PA)--and tell them to stand up for immigrant families.

The ads contrast President Obama's action as a bold step forward to keep our families together" with the insulting and inflammatory statements by Republicans. Former Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann described immigrant voters as "illiterate" and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) suggested that the president's action could be met with "violence." The spots urge senators to stand with families, not extremists who are threatening the gains immigrant families have made with the President's action.

See the ads here: http://action.seiu.org/page/content/familias-unidas/

SCRIPT:

(ENGLISH TRANSLATION)

[President Obama:] All of us are created equal... all of us have a chance to make of our lives what we will... for generations.

[VO:] In the battle for immigration reform, President Obama took a bold step forward to keep our families together. But Republican politicians respond with more opposition... and keep insulting our families. Enough! Our families deserve respect and a better future. Call Senator Rob Portman. Tell him to stand with our families and not with Republican extremists. Paid for by SEIU.

(SPANISH)

[President Obama:] All of us are created equal... all of us have a chance to make of our lives what we will... for generations.

[VO:] En la batalla de la reforma migratoria, el Presidente Obama tom un paso valiente para mantener a nuestras familias unidas. Pero los polticos Republicanos responden con ms oposicin...y siguen insultando a nuestras familias. Basta ya. Nuestras familias merecen respeto y un mejor futuro. Llama al Senador Rob Portman. Dile que debe apoyar a nuestras familias y no a los republicanos extremistas. Pagado por SEIU.