Immigration political ad blitz targets GOP presidential candidates

A blitz of immigration-themed political ads targeting Republican presidential candidates launched Thursday nationwide, including on Las Vegas television stations.

The initial six-figure national ad campaign is coordinated by iAmerica Action, an immigration advocacy group, and SEIU-COPE, the Service Employees International Union Committee on Political Education.

The ads are timed to coincide with Friday's one-year anniversary of President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration in Las Vegas that started the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans program, which protects undocumented immigrants from deportation if they have children born in the U.S.

The blitz includes a Spanish ad that ran nationwide on Telemundo and Univision during the Latin Grammy Awards. Locally, the dozens of spots will continue in Las Vegas on Telemundo and Univision through the weekend.

The effort is part of a larger, long-term campaign that will run in the millions of dollars by members as they push for immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship.

The ad clip includes statements made by Republican candidates for president, including U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida; U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas; and billionaire businessman Donald Trump, who has gained the most notoriety for statements about immigrants. "They have to go," Trump says in the ad's clip.

The ad goes on to to say the candidates' messages are the same and anti-immigrant attacks cannot be allowed.

Digital ads will appear in Nevada, Florida, Colorado and Texas.

"One year ago President Obama took historic action, standing up for all families striving to achieve the American dream," said Rocio Saenz, SEIU international executive vice president and iAmerica Action's president, in a statement. "Since then, we have reached one full year of consistent attacks against Latino and immigrant families. It's simply inexcusable."

He added there are more than 30 million eligible Latino and Asian-American and Pacific Islander voters in the next election: "That's not a swing vote, that's a warning."

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904. Find him on Twitter: @BenBotkin1.