The White House decision to not go through with the nomination of Thomas Saenz as head of the Civil Rights Division at Justice isn’t sitting well with some of the pro-amnesty folks. Janet Murguia, president of La Raza, had this to say:
This action may lead some to question whether the White House is ready to fulfill its promise on immigration reform. Along with the nomination of Tom Perez as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, the Latino community will be looking for further reassurance that this is not the case. Nonetheless, the administration missed an opportunity to bring the debate back to the merits of the law, rather than succumb to the shrill voices of fear.
And pro-amnesty law professor Kevin Johnson wrote on his blog:
It appears that Saenz’s immigration work for MALDEF, including his successful litigation halting the implementation of California’s Proposition 187, proved to be “too controversial” for his nomination to go forward. Given that the Obama administration apparently caved on this nomination, one wonders whether it will have the backbone to press on immigration reform. One also has to wonder with MALDEF, unlike the NAACP, has somehow become radioactive in national politics because it fights for the civil rights of immigrants.