WASHINGTON –  DNC Interim Chair Donna Brazile and DNC Hispanic Caucus Chair Iris Martinez issued the following statement on National Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins today:

“The Democratic Party is proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month along with the millions of Hispanic Americans who live, work, play and pray in our nation. American history is inseparable from the history and contributions of Hispanics. From families who have lived here for generations and helped to build our nation, to new Americans who immigrated here to earn the promise of a better life, to the youngest DREAMers whose passion and talents will shape our future—our country is richer for their gifts.

“Voters have a clear choice in this election: we can either elect leaders who understand that our diversity is our great strength, or we can elect those who demonize, vilify, and incite hatred against immigrants and minority communities. 

“Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party believe in passing comprehensive immigration reform to strengthen families, strengthen our economy, and strengthen our country. We believe in raising the minimum wage and levelling the playing field for hard working families. We believe that climate change exists and that we need to address it for the sake of our children. We believe that everyone should have access to health care. And we believe in building bridges, not walls.

“Donald Trump started his campaign by calling Mexican immigrants rapists and drug dealers.  He said, and repeated, that an American judge’s Mexican heritage disqualifies him from carrying out his duties. He’s pushing a dangerously absurd immigration policy – one that features an indiscriminate mass-deportation scheme and a cartoonish border wall. And the list, unfortunately, continues.

“We need to elect leaders up and down the ticket who are committed to keeping families together, fixing our broken immigration system, and building an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top. This November, we must elect Hillary Clinton as our next president and Democrats at every level of government to build upon the promise of this nation we built, and continue to build, together.”