Veterans Day Message: Honoring Latino Military Servicemembers And Their Commitment To America.

LULAC Statement on the Nomination of Alexander Acosta for U.S. Secretary of Labor

February 16, 2017

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, President Donald Trump announced his nomination for Secretary of Labor, Alexander Acosta. Acosta served as Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division under President George W. Bush, and was also a member of the National Labor Relations Board and served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.

In response, LULAC National President, Roger C. Rocha, Jr. issued the following statement:

"The nomination of Alexander Acosta to serve as the first Latino in President Trump's cabinet is a welcome development. As Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, Acosta prosecuted a record number of cases involving employers who were forcing their employees to speak English only, without a legitimate business reason. As Secretary of Labor, Acosta will be uniquely positioned to have a positive impact on the hard-working Latino men and women of this country - the very community whose interests LULAC represents. Acosta has joined LULAC on a number of cases involving voting rights and police brutality and has supported comprehensive immigration reform. Acosta's record of public service demonstrates a sensitivity to the challenges facing the minority community. His record also demonstrates a willingness to have a positive impact on those challenges. We are confident that if confirmed, he will serve as a positive force in the Trump administration; ensuring that issues and challenges affecting Latinos in the workplace are given due consideration before policy decisions are made."

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The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.lulac.org.