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In a Fox News Latino exclusive, Juan Williams speaks with congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA) about Latinos, President Obama, Mitt Romney and more.
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This is a Fox News Latino exclusive interview with congressman -- -- Becerra of Los Angeles congressman thank you so much for coming in.
Wanted to believe my pleasure.
You're a surrogate for the Obama campaign in the Hispanic community.
There's a new poll out that indicates now.
It's about 60% of Hispanics who support the president against the Republican nominee Mitt Romney that's down from about 70%.
Just a few weeks ago.
Why do you think there's been this drop.
Well I think it's one of many polls it's a snapshot what we continue to see is that.
By a factor of two to three.
The president get support over.
Republican nominee to be Mitt Romney so I think it's become very clear that.
Not only does the president continue to have solid support with the Latino community and Latino voters.
But that -- -- he's got some real work to do to try to it just gets his way out of the hole he dug himself in.
With the Latino voters.
This same poll done by NBC telemundo.
Indicates that on most issues.
Latinos have a high regard for the president but to stand out congressman to -- -- is the budget.
Where you see about 31% of -- saying the president has made the situation worse and the second issue gas prices there.
49%.
49% of -- say the president's policies have made it tougher.
To have affordable gas in this country how do you respond.
I think the the respondents and apple are responding the way you think.
Most Americans would respond the federal government are leaders in Washington DC have to do everything possible to make it.
Possible for our families to not only.
Move ahead.
But to have a chance to leave something more for their kids and so they're reacting.
To what they think is a situation which is not tolerable we need to lower the prices of gas we need to get people back to work.
And the president's try to do that and I think what you're seeing in these polls is the public is saying.
Congress.
White House.
Everyone -- you get to work now it's tough to believe the president will have a partner getting to work when right now house Republicans are telling us that.
For the next -- for the next six months the remainder of the year.
The House of Representatives will we will be working for a total of 55 days.
I mean you mean that's.
They're not doing anything they're not working on the situation this opens that the door for the president to run against congress will that work in the Latino community.
Was that's a much the president made against the congress it's the president telling that the American people -- the Latino.
Population that you've got -- congress has been unwilling to work and not not not just I'm willing to work but I'm willing to work with the president.
A congress that's saying that for the next six months it's gonna work for 55 more days total.
Worry congress it's telling the house Republican leadership to tell the president and the rest the American people.
That we're done doing any real substantive policy any big lifting and it's all now just politicking till November.
It's a sign that the president's.
Desire and his push with the congress to say I'm gonna give you a short list of things to do.
Bipartisan things to do let's get it done and for the congress to get to throw the chance to Republicans -- -- hand the thick.
Now we're done it's gonna be too tough it's now all about November in the politics and let's just deal with politics and we'll figure out what happens after the election.
That means that there -- -- whole bunch of folks who have to wait until Republicans in the congress are ready to rated work with the president.
To -- they get back to work keep their homes and also help to lower the gas prices.
Well in fact there's a new -- congress and -- fair from the Romney campaign.
Aimed at the Latino community.
The -- is called dismal and in it they talk about increases in terms of Hispanic unemployment.
Foreclosure rates under the Obama administration.
Again the idea is to appeal to Hispanics to say you know what -- Obama has not helped how do you deal with that line of attack.
Well wolf first make clear that it's inaccurate because the unemployment rate has dropped for Latinos since the president -- committed since the height of that.
Bush recession.
Where the president took over the White House and we were as you know were in the depths of this black hole.
But what's -- -- -- about this so called Republican -- to the Latino community.
It's a web that.
There it.
I think.
The Romney campaign in mr.
Romney himself a bit invest it weighs about thirteen 151000 dollars showing up in just how much they care where just this past two.
We the yesterday in the election in Wisconsin the Republicans invested more than fifty million dollars to help.
Republican Governor Walker.
Beat out his -- opponents in this recall election so here there -- it has been fifty million dollars.
On one Republican candidate.
And they're willing to spend thirteen thousand dollars to appeal to a whole population of over fifty million Americans and Latino descent to try to let them know that.
Mitt Romney cares about the so I think it's become clear where and how people the Romney campaign in mr.
Ronnie thinks about Latinos he's an investor.
And for him debt invest such a tiny fraction of his -- many can reach out to -- I think -- a clear sign he doesn't think too much about Latinos.
Where do you think that fit you don't think there's more to come and I would suspect that there is more to come because they understand the importance.
Of the Latino vote for the Romney campaign.
-- want -- I'm sure they'll be more to come -- of -- more of the same that we've seen where Mitt Romney says he's against the DREAM -- He's against comprehensive immigration reform.
Where he says he's he's for allowing classroom size to increase which would affect obviously a lot of Latino families who have -- kids in public schools.
Where he's talking about the fact that the there's no need further congress to make any further push where he's saying he's for.
Though Republican.
Romney budget which would essentially end Medicare as we know it which would got a lot of the services that help a lot of middle class and hard working for a class families I think he sent a lot of messages to Latinos about where he stands I'm sure he'll do more but if it's going to be more of the same.
Then I can't imagine that the polls are gonna get any better for him over the next several months but we'll -- maybe he'll really make an investment in -- to the community but so far.
He has addressed Latinos last week he addressed Latino business people not one word about immigration -- -- how he did it -- to reconcile his.
Anti immigrant statements in the past -- what he really wants to do this past week in this ad that he put out not a single mention of immigration in the need to try to reform it something.
Very much on the minds of Latinos but throughout this country who really believe that whether there -- citizen or not.
That it's time to make the immigration system work for everyone.
Congress -- there -- -- Fox News Latino exclusive interview congressman Luis -- terrorists.
Talk about the problem that the Obama administration has with its increased rate of deportation.
And how that is in fact -- -- some in the Latino community.
Do you see that as a problem for the president going forward.
One I think that the problem.
For America is that we have a broken immigration system the president took an oath of office to -- the laws of the land.
Even if the laws aren't the best and in the case of immigration they're not the best.
If someone's in this country without documents.
They're deportable and the president is putting enforce the laws of the land.
But the president is also said.
He liked to fix the broken immigration system it for a cup Republicans weren't constantly.
Putting -- -- to the passage of immigration reform we can it dealt with this in terms of the border security in terms.
Workplace making sure that only folks who have the right to work in this country are going to work and dealing with effectively that some ten million people probably -- this -- you believe for quite some time congressman you believe that this is not a matter of the president not making it a priority during his first term which is something he had promised the Latino community he would do.
Find you have to remember that in 2010 when Democrats took control of the house and the senate.
The president was making phone calls the president was talking to members tried to make sure in the senate.
We passed the DREAM Act in the house Democrats with some Republican votes a bipartisan bill we passed the dream that.
In this -- -- he was out there working hard bipartisan trying to get support for -- -- -- so he could sign it.
It's a lot -- guess what we got 55 out of a hundred senators to vote for the DREAM Act.
In twenty -- That means it should have become -- right right unfortunately Republicans.
Put up the -- -- they use the procedural hurdle called the filibuster to deny a vote that had more than a majority of senators behind it.
From getting to the president that's -- becoming got legislation becoming law and so has the president tried absolutely history he's -- has he been unable to fulfill this promise.
That's right Republicans have had their foot on the break of immigration reform and as a result it's been tough to get a pass.
I think that the Latino community has every right to expect that this federal government.
Will fix a broken immigration system to the weight every America wants to fix it.
But I also believe the -- community especially but all Americans will recognize that if you got to congress.
That's steady in your way of trying to get the reform done.
You can only take so much of that of the blame for not being able to fulfill your promise and I think in this case the president who -- very hard.
Can say look if Republicans got out of the way we actually have a immigration reform done because we got 55 votes in the senate.
And most that most all of them except one were democratic votes so it can get -- want it does -- have to have the will in the congress to make it happen and that's for Republicans.
At this doctors obstructionism and we could make it that make it happen.
Well congress and -- there when you look at something like the DREAM Act congressman we terrorist says to me you know what we could peel it back instead of granting citizenship rights the people.
Who qualify as having come to this country with their parents -- at a very young age now in college or in the military.
Instead just -- the deportations.
Just allow them to stay in the country.
And then we'll work under citizen's status citizenship status at a later date.
Would you be agreeable to that.
-- we've had a bipartisan DREAM Act to deal with the just the excruciating circumstance affecting a lot of young kids in America who've grown up here.
In every respect are fully American.
Many of them valedictorian to their high school ready to go on to give service in the military Ers go on to some great university.
Or stop in -- tracks because innocently they find themselves the children of folks who are documented I think across the country people want to get this resolved.
We have a bill that's bipartisan that does that.
There are any number of ways you can try to get there the important thing I think about cars -- -- was trying to point out is that we can get there.
And we should let the perfect be the enemy enemy of the good but at the same time let's not try -- Play political games with something that affects the lives of so many families we can get it done if Republicans are interested in helping us get it done.
Then hopefully they won't do what they dated 2010 which is to block a bill that had more than a majority in the senate.
From going to the president's desk we can get there some Republicans have said their interest in doing it we haven't seen any legislation yet I have a feeling.
Those Republicans have talked about doing something haven't been able to get Republican support.
But hopefully we'll get it done because on something like this where a young man or woman is willing to go and serve in the military to defend this country I gotta believe most Americans would say.
Congress wake up our cars -- -- there what about the idea of the Romney campaign.
Might put a Latino on the take it with Romney.
Most of the talk is about Florida senator Marco Rubio do you think that would shift the numbers in the Latino community.
I think the more that our leadership in -- in not just to Washington DC bit throughout the country recognizes that.
Americans -- Latino descent have contributed so many ways and want to continue to do that that's excellent.
In politics if we see your political leaders select people that are qualified to be at the highest ranks of our government.
And they happen to be of Latino descent excellent and so I would hope that we would continue to see.
The top talent in our country's political party's rise to the top -- that would include Latinos as well.
What happens in terms of any election certainly the person ready to be president is.
Mitt Romney and of course president Barack Obama's so I think most people gonna be most concerned about what Mitt Romney Barack Obama will do for the country.
-- look at who they select as a vice president to get a sense so.
How they would comport themselves as a leader.
And so in that sense it'll be important bit.
I hope that what we're learning from this experience and the talk of having elected a perhaps serve as running -- for mr.
-- is that.
It's become clear to all Americans that you can be from any corner of this country.
From whatever background and so long as you really love this place that we call America and you're ready to defend it to all your heart.
Anyone could be present while -- hold guys want to be clear on this do you think it will make a difference if rubio is on the take you think it could move numbers and Latino community.
I'm not sure what would happen and it's it's a lot of speculation.
But I certainly do hope that the political leadership in our country recognizes.
There are a lot of -- qualified people throughout America who want to serve.
In any number of capacities and certainly no one should be.
Neglected when it comes to serving at the highest level.
Political leadership.
What affect -- have.
Unclear and it's -- Mr.
Romney so it's speculative.
But -- what I would tell you is I think it's inspiring any time.
That you see someone like Barack Obama become president of the United States because it says it says to me.
That I can go far it says to.
People who were like me when I was a kid this son of immigrants.
Never having seen my parents go -- past.
Elementary school and regular public school never -- -- gone to college it makes a child like when I was growing up think wow.
This place really is -- that coming back after that also would apply to Marco Rubio.
It applies to whole bunch of folks and I think that the great thing about this country is that we open doors and one Barack Obama won in 2008.
It open so many doors in the minds of people and I hope that will continue to see doors open.
What I as I said regardless of what corner -- -- let you know I was -- Rick I'm driving at the point a political point do you think it helps the Republicans.
To have rubio on the ticket.
And you you seem to think it might help but you're not sure.
No I don't know if it does I don't know if it doesn't and I mean that it.
You know we haven't seen enough yet to know who really is out there that might be able to help.
Mitt Romney right now Mitt Romney's got a lot of work to do that to -- himself away from where he -- he was in the primary so he could try to win against the president.
It'll be -- it'll be a heat between.
Barack Obama the president of the United States and Mitt Romney former governor Massachusetts.
Former head of Bain Capital and we'll see.
Okay now -- -- Who becomes very you know that it as -- before -- -- ago there's been a lot of concern political circles about turnout in the Latino community.
-- community's history on this -- is not very good typically very low levels of registration and turnout do you see any reason to think differently.
About Latino turnout and when he -- It it 2008 let's get a schematic good numbers.
And in 2012.
We're going to see the highest level of Latino turnout in history more like he does look about the vote than ever before -- -- -- what percentage you predicting here today.
Gosh I wish I could tell you wanna I -- to tell -- it's a 100% that he said we have to build on that it that would that would let me put it this way.
We're gonna see the largest number of Latinos vote in the nation's history in in November why do you -- it's still not enough.
Because the sheer numbers continue to grow.
More and more people are getting excited about this a lot of -- former immigrants now US citizens are very interest and ability but you're right on the point that we haven't seen.
The level of participation.
From those belt were eligible to vote in the Latino community that we would want to see.
And so what many of us have to do is leaders in this in the Latino community is encouraged -- to recognize the importance of their vote our community.
Is not the richest community.
But if they recognized the wealth they have do their vote to their franchise I think people could then be empowered to believe that they could make the difference and quite honestly as you know.
In the -- some of those.
Tossup states Latinos could make the difference and if we can convince Latinos that they could decide.
As Americans who becomes the next president of the United States that could be enough to really lot of fire -- -- -- could not vote.
All right congressman heavier with Sarah.
California thank you so much for joining us for this Fox News Latino exclusive.
