Immigration proposals from presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama have many similarities, including increased border security, and prosecuting employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
But Hispanic Republicans in Wisconsin say McCain is the candidate who will best be able to deliver on promises to reform the nation's immigration policies. Camille Solberg , McCain Wisconsin Hispanic chair, cites the her candidate's straight talk on the issue. "He'll tell you that he feels that he failed, and the people in the Senate failed, to bring forth a solution," says Solberg. "But he's not going to stand for that anymore. He's going to find a way in which this is going to be resolved."
Secorra Williams, McCain Hispanic chair for Fond du Lac County, asks what experience Barack Obama has on the issue. Looking for some connection between immigration and Sen. Obama, Williams says she found nothing. "He doesn't even know about this subject," Williams charges, "because he's never been interested."
Still, while McCain has suggested that he'd have immigration reforms in place within the first 100 days of his presidency, McCain Hispanic chair for Milwaukee County, Perfecto Rivera, thinks it may take longer: "it's still up to us to debate the issues and understand the merits of it," Rivera says, adding that a final product needs to "work for the interests of the people that are here, and for the security of our country."