Spanish radio ads target Republican votes on immigration reform

Fueled in part by anger over Republican blockage of a major immigration reform measure last week, two immigration rights groups and one of the country's largest employee unions have launched Spanish-language radio ads in the Chicago area and across the country.

Mi Familia Vota, America's Voice and Service Employees International Union tout the $300,000 ad buy as the largest national ad campaign from pro-immigration reform organizations.

Nearly $30,000 went to purchase airtime on four local stations WNUA 95.5-FM, WLEY 107.9-FM, WVIV 103.1-FM and WOJO 105.1-FM.

The ad, which began running on Tuesday and will continue through next Monday, complements a national "get-out-the-vote" effort encouraging immigrant voters to head to the polls to impact close races the U.S. Senate race among them.

Suburban communities, including Elgin, Waukegan and Aurora are being targeted, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights Director Joshua Hoyt said.

Limited by the sponsors' tax statuses, the radio ad does not endorse any specific candidates, but focuses instead on criticizing the Republican votes collectively, spokeswoman Isobel White said.

Translated from Spanish, the 60-second spot tells of the thousands who "have taken to the streets to fight for what's right: access to a college education and a path to citizenship. We're the undocumented students of the DREAM Act. The 'soñadores.' But who opposed this bill? Who wants to quash our dreams? Republicans."

Voters are encouraged to choose candidates "who support our families, and make our dreams come true."

While the get-out-the vote effort is also described as nonpartisan, Hoyt spoke of immigration reform groups' anger with Republicans, including Senate candidate Mark Kirk.

Despite being lobbied repeatedly over the summer, Kirk, currently a Congressman in the North Suburban 10th District, has not said how he would vote on the DREAM Act a proposal aimed at helping children who are in the United States illegally become citizens.

First proposed by Illinois' Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin and Utah's Republican Sen. Orin Hatch in 2001, the DREAM Act would give qualifying undocumented youth a six-year-long conditional path to citizenship that requires completion of a college degree or two years of military service. The legislation stalled indefinitely last week after Senate Republicans unanimously voted against attaching it to a defense authorization bill.

Campaign spokesman Kirsten Kukowski said last week that Kirk had not yet taken a position on the issue. Democratic opponent Alexi Giannoulias supports the measure.

"If you want to grow up and be senator, and refuse to take a position ... you may lose a lot of votes in the Latino community and the larger community," Hoyt said.

Kirk has launched ads of his own appealing to Latino voters, including a recent Spanish-speaking TV ad, in which Kirk who is fluent in Spanish speaks of helping Latino families who want to start their own businesses and combat gangs.