Hooley and castro, and vermont senator Bernie Sanders. This is almost two hours. [applause] up, youa quick heads have two minutes, then questions. Try to do the questions in spanish and english. You have two minutes. Thank you. Thank you to domingo, cindy, and all our lulac chapters. It is great to see you in milwaukee. [applause] know, i have aou twin brother, but he says the way to tell us apart is i am one minute uglier than he is, which is not true. I am happy to be here for a conversation about the future of our country. We had our first president ial debate and i said that i was happy to be there and that my presence on that stage marked some of the tremendous progress we have made as a Latino Community, and the question before us in the next few months is what kind of country do we want to become. I am able to stand on the stage and you can do the work you have done and achieve the dreams you have achieved because generations have worked for progress in our country to make sure that no matter the color of your skin you can get a decent education, that when you went out looking for an apartment to rent or own to buy that you would not be discriminated against, making sure you could get good job opportunities, and that you could exercise your right to vote at the ballot box. The question before us is whether we will continue to be that country that expands opportunity to people no matter who they are, what they look like, how much money they have or dont have, how long they have been in our country, what their last name is, or are we going to go backward and become a nation where opportunity is only afforded to those who look a certain way, who live a certain way, who sound a certain way . I believe in an america that is ofad, expansive, full opportunity for hardworking americans all over our country. I am glad to be here because i know that so many people in this room have made that kind of beautiful progress possible. Thank you so much for the work you are doing as part of lulac to create a stronger america for all of us. I look forward to a conversation about how we can make or country Even Stronger and ensure that all of those folks who shoulders we stand on we do right by bypassing that opportunity on to the next generation in a country that is better than ever before. Thank you. Thank you. [applause] i think in the past six months we have talked over tacos, books, and now in front of lulac. An institution where you got engage with your wife. Quickly, a show of hands, how many of you in the audience on ever been told to focus speaking english or not speaking spanish at all . [speaking in spanish] probably around half of the audience here. Yourself. Xplain that how do you still get the message across. The latino language is more than just about language. Its partly language. Asked a lot on the campaign trail about how well i speak spanish and i tell people think like a lot of Second Generation latinos, that spanish pretty well but i cannot fluid at it. I can speak some and one of the explain, ried to especially to the Mainstream Media was i grew up in texas and my grandmother got here in 1922. When my grandmother got here on e were still signs storefront windows that said no mexicans or dogs allowed. Who grew up in texas or states like it will exactly and this is one of the reasons that lulac was formed in 1929, to make sure Latino Community could some support amongst each other and among families to push or equal rights, and one thing that happened is that spanish was looked down upon. That you would be punished in a of Public Schools and even some of the Catholic Schools if you spoke spanish class. Very real way, they were trying to beat the spanish out saddest nd maybe the part of that is that in a lot of our families people started to on speaking the Spanish Language and wanted to each their children english first. People here in the audience will generations, and the thing that one of the things im proud of about our that we live in a country where understanding or ish and speaking it another second language is celebrated. Y daughter goes to a bilingual program and is learning spanish and thats a wonderful thing. Ts a marker of the progress that weve made as a nation. In terms of being a latino your ability hink to speak spanish is certainly something thats important to connect with the community. One part of that. There are so many other things, right . Experience. Ur life culturally. There is also where you stand on issues. Your positions on issues will do something for the Latino Community or not. Lets talk about some of issues. Proposals on immigration speaking in spanish] the former dhs secretary some of your immigration proposals extreme and unworkable. React to the friendly fire . Obviously not friendly. [applause] say secretary johnson is wrong. Vice President Biden is wrong on this. And congressman oroark is wrong on this. And let me tell you why. 1920s, and the time that lulac was formed until we treated crossing the board as a civil violation, violation. Nal so for years and years, generations, we didnt treat criminal violation, started post 9 11, it being treated as a crime. And after it started being reated as a crime a lot of the problems that were seeing today exploded. Repeal e called for the of section 1325 of the act,ration and nationality that a future administration cannot use that law to incarcerate a migrant parent and separate that parent a little child. We arent going to have that in this nation in the years to come president. I will not abide by it. I wont stand for it. Going to do it. Ow, secretary johnson has suggested somehow that people borders. That as open correct. Open borders is a right wing talking point. We have thousands of personnel at the border. We have lanes, helicopters, we have boats. We have guns, we have security cameras. We still have civil courts if somebody crosses the border. Asylum process. Folks know, folks that live folksthe border, a lot of that are coming today they are presenting themselves at the border. They arent trying to go anywhere. They want to present themselves to our border officials. So, it makes no sense to make policy based out of fear, fear. Cal i am not going to make policy based out of fear. Policy to o make stand up for the people who need a voice right now, and we have children that are being separated from their parents. Correct. That are being kept in conditions where some of them soap. Have they dont have tooth brushes. They are crowded into pins. Be are going to traumatized, many of them, for the rest of their lives, and i going to do m not that. Im not going to do it. Im going to work hard to make future administration can weaponize that law in order o do what donald trump has done. [speaking in spanish] a quick follow up on that. Some of the conditions the are facing in the Detention Centers are better than the ones they have in their countries. I would say the people coming here from honduras or guatemala are no different from the irish who fled famine before. Different from people that came from germany or oland or italy or, you know, folks who came from cuba in the 1960s. Desperate as fleeing circumstances. Thats common denominator. They have just as much to add to generations of immigrants have before. Say, i think one of the things that distinguishes what ive put forward versus some of critics, is that im actually talking about solving challenge. Ive said we need to do a 21st central arble plan for america, to partner with those countries so people can find afety and opportunity at home instead of having to come to the United States, and thats a long to solve this challenge. [speaking in spanish] it was announced last week tuition ring full scholarships to families who make 65,000 or less per year. Do you think other colleges should take the lead on this . Yes. ve been very blessed in my to the public ne schools of texas and to have got an good Higher Education thats allowed me to provide for my and have the career success that ive had. I want to make sure that kind of pportunity is available to everybody and one of the things we need to do is to get tuition state universities, Community Colleges and job training certification programs. Here are people in this room and people that are watching that will remember that it wasnt very long ago, that the texas system was almost tuitionfree and the university of california system late 1970s or early 1980s, actually was and a whole bunch of other State University systems just a generation or two tuitionfree. Today, its more imperative than ever that we actually make that as yall because, know, jobs require more skill than d more ever before. That means that our kids out there, they need to get that education. Its not always a fouryear degree or even a Community College degree. Job training, a certification program, but they need something beyond high they can get t gainful employment and thats why we need to make that investment. Like what ut austin is doing but i would take it even further and make it accessible to everybody. [applause] [speaking in spanish] thank you very much. Now its time for us to hear lulac, and wey of have questions that have been sent in by members from all over america. Those, weve screened them, and you have some of those guests tonight who will be sking you, mr. Secretary, some of these same questions. Up uld like to first invite here he is from the illinois area. Hes a green card veteran. He also is a bronze star recipient. Who is is carlos holding a helmet in hand, and we now have in the audience two who are veterans standing here before you. Sir, what is the significance of standing men the and women here . This wartorn helmet here is symbolize our brothers and sisters who have protected our country, even when our hasnt protected them. Our members are standing here at attention in solidarity with our deported brothers and sisters who have been deported, and showing that were ready to, you do whatever it takes to help get them back. The question is, mr. To etary, would you commit have those individuals who have served this country, bravely, be repatriated from their exile . What is your answer to that . Yes, i will. First of all, thank you very much for your service. To each and every one of who you stepped up other of your patriotism and served our honorably. We appreciate your service and sacrifices that you and your family have made to our country. Nd also appreciate the voice that youre using on behalf of the veterans who have been deported, which is shameful. In the immigration plan, my eople my first immigration plan that i released on april 2, one of the things i called for that immediately ensure veterans who have been deported can come back into the united pursue citizenship here notice United States, because they served our country honorably. They did their duty for our country, and we owe them a debt thing itude and the last we should do is see them deported away from their family the fruit of enjoy their labor in defending this country. Thank you. Is from question isabel. Shes a lulac member from and shes here to ask this question. Would you please direct it to the stage. Teacher shortage thats growing nationwidestes mo especially in poverty areas. Thank you very much for the question. To all of thank you the teachers who are in our watching. And those i know we have a lot that are part of lulac. Teacher, Public School teacher for 31 years, and my wife has been a Public School educator for the last 15 years. My brother and i are proud products of Public Schools so i the value of Great Teachers in our country. I released an Education Plan a weeks ago. Ne of the things i called for is to increase teacher pay. Would do that in part through a tax credit that would 10,000e from 2,000 to and would get higher on a based on the percentage of students who are on free or reduced lunch. Words, we would incentivize teachers to go into the most s that are impoverished, oftentimes the schools in our we would also ensure to get more teachers into investing in y tuitionfree public state universities and job training programs, and invest more money teacher recruitment and retention because, as you know, great people f that go into the teaching profession but then after one or they leave. They get frustrated or they its good for them and thats especially true in some of the Toughest School districts in the United States. Invest in teacher recruitment and training to help them succeed professionally and be able to do a good job in in and i ols they are have to tell you, part of my experience and part of why i that, after college and back law school, i went to my Old High School in san antonio, texas, i was a teacher. T substitute i remember i had one class that i think had 37 people in it. 38 and the other one had 39. Away that i ght knew very little about how to teach effectively. And i gained a tremendous amount of respect for what it takes to be a good teacher. I knew that its not as simple as just walking into the classroom and walking. Craft. Ts a it takes skill. It takes patience. It takes understanding. Ftentimes youre not only a teacher, you turn into a counselor. Those eed to invest in teachers, at the beginning to recruit them and then to retain them and pay them what they deserve. Thank you very much. Question. Xt thank you. Our next question comes from shes from milwaukee, wisconsin, and deborah has this please. For you, hello. As a teacher, thank you very much for all of your comments. If elected, what will you do to reduce gun violence and how do accomplish this working with republicans in congress . Much. Ank you very deborah . Thank you very much for the for ion, and even more so your activism and the activism of moms demand. Yall have inspired so many across the country, as have as and students well. I believe in several things. First of all, common sense gun we need to get universal background checks. Ofneed to limit the capacity magazines. E need a renewed assault weapons ban. We also should pass red flag so that were able to stop folks from getting a gun who should never get it in the first place. Close loopholes like the boyfriend loophole and the loophole. I believe also ensure that e do things like end this distinction between physical healthcare and Mental Healthcare. Mental we invest in our country, so that, because as you know, one we talk about less is, a lot of people who die, a handgun,because of died by suicide. Too many people suffer in bipolar disorder or depression or something else, that, that they spiral downward in silence. Life. They take their own we have a role in connecting these dots with our healthcare to make sure that were investing in healthcare in a and eliminating the stigma that too often times goes with Mental Health issues, that i believe thats also going to have a positive impact on reducing gun it comes to death by suicide. Things we can also do like smart targeted gun buybacks in different communities. We can make board our country safer. Thank you very much. We have one minute left. Inject one more question. From mary, shes from racine, wisconsin. Question. Ur thank you. What do you propose to do about he student loan borrowers who are still strugging to pay off the loans . Student d there are loan forgiveness plans but i want to know how the program would you initiate work. Or example, if you were proposing paying 7 a 5 of the oans, would the unsubsidized portions be paid off first and ould the remaining 25 left to pay, would the repayment plans still be available to apply to it . Apologize we have very little time. Very briefly, i hope folks website and check out my Education Plan that Student Loan Debt relief. It saddles folks with too much to prevent them from buying a home, starting a family, my plan addresses that. Way that it works, just briefly, is that, if you make federal 250 of poverty level, then the repayment is zero. Then its over that scaled up but the most that you would have to repay would be 10 of your income, and the total amount that you would have to be capped. Interest would be capped as well o i invite folks to go to juliancastro. Com and check out my full plan. Thank you. Thank you so much. [applause] [speaking in spanish] well have the Democratic National convention. Yourself as the candidate for the party, receiving that . Yes, i do. Two minutes to make the closing statements. Thank you for having me. Very much. U to all of my fellow texans, i now we have a large texas contingent. Thank you for being here. Briefly, this selection is all about what we want our ation to become in the years ahead. And i want you to know, that if you elect me president , that i work hard every single day to make sure that your children get aur grandchildren can good education, because they have a Strong Partner in that will work hard ith states and with local school districts, to make sure that education works for country. In this ill work hard to make sure you and your family have good healthcare. Universal e healthcare so that no matter how much money you make or dont ake, where you live or what your background is you can get the healthcare and medication ou need when you need it, and that you can have good job opportunities, whether you live town. Big city or a small so that you can get painful employment and provide for your that no matter what the color of your skin is, orientation, how you identify, whether a man or a your that you can reach dreams in this country. Grandmother came here when she was 7 from mexico. As a maid because she never finished elementary school. Me om raised my brother and as a single parent and just two generations after my grandmother almost nothing, one of her grandsons is now the congressman for the city that san antonio, and the other one is here, asking for your support to be president of the United States. That is the greatness of the United States of america. I