From conservative immigration reform advocate Marco Rubio to DREAMers, Latinos played a key role in 2012 Politics. With a new batch of Hispanic lawmakers set to take office in 2013, here are the five to watch.
1. Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-Illinois)
The Democratic Illinois congressman has been a vocal advocate of immigration reform, and with the topic set to take center stage in the next Congress, Gutierrez is likely to play a key role in the debate. He has already been quite vocal about creating a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. The first Latino to be elected to Congress from the Midwest sponsored a version of the DREAM Act in 2001. While the DREAM Act has not passed, Gutierrez has touted the record Latino voter turnout in 2012 as an indicator that the nation is ready for immigration reform. This Puerto Rico-rights advocate is also a key member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, a group of lawmakers who have developed and released what they say should be guiding principles to immigration reform, which includes a path to citizenship. READ MORE
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