Sanders Strategist: Sanders Will ‘Move Continuously’ To Expand On Obama’s Immigration Actions, ‘A Lot’ President Can Do

Cesar Vargas, a Latino outreach strategist for Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) stated Sanders “will actually commit to taking executive action” on immigration, “will move continuously to expand whatever the president didn’t do,” and “here is a lot that the president can do, and a lot…Sanders will do” on Tuesday’s “MSNBC Live.”

Vargas said that House Speaker Representative Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) pledge that comprehensive immigration reform is off the table until President Obama leaves is “disappointing. And I think that’s why the — Senator Bernie Sanders will actually commit to taking executive action, because I think, most important, we need to see leadership from our president, from our speaker, and from our elected officials. And I think it’s really to the point where we need to take action, and we need to see it immediately.”

Vargas added, “Immigration reform through Congress is definitely a priority, but what we cannot do is focus on what Congress cannot do, and focus on what we can do right now, and what a president can do. And this is what Senator Bernie Sanders, as a presidential candidate has said, that he will move continuously to expand whatever the president didn’t do. There’s much more things that the president can do now. For example, the private prison industry is making billions of dollars off incarcerating communities of color, especially immigrants. So, for him, he has led the effort of eliminating the private detention prison, and actually focusing on really protecting families. So, I think there is a lot that the president can do, and a lot that the — Senator Bernie Sanders will do, but what we cannot do is wait on a dysfunctional Congress, and wait for speaker Ryan to take their cues from the Tea Party. So, I think what we’re seeing now is really having a president who will lead, and Bernie Sanders is that candidate who’s demonstrated that he’s going to be able to take action on this issue.”

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