National Council of La Raza

Far-left racial power organization that's considered mainstream but which funds extremists (also here) and supports illegal immigration as a way of obtaining political power. Funded by, among others, the Ford Foundation, the U.S. government (also see this, this, and this), and major corporations such as HomeDepot and General Motors. Has been pandered to by many top politicians, including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, and Karl Rove (see this). Per the Washington Post, they and a few other groups had "virtual veto power" over the provisions of the 2007 comprehensive immigration reform (i.e., amnesty) bill.

The NCLR offers an "Open Letter to the Public" called "The Truth About NCLR: NCLR Answers Critics" (nclr.org/content/viewpoints/detail/42500). The reader is encouraged to compare that to what follows.

Headed by Janet Murguia for several years, before then by Raul Yzaguirre. Former senior VP Cecilia Munoz is now part of the Obama administration. Former chairwoman is Monica Lozano (now on the Bank of America board, more here); current is Andrea Bazan (more here; she's also part of a DHS advisory council).

Their only known link to the Mexican government is that in May 2009 Murguia was given that government's "Ohtli Award", their highest honor for foreigners. That award is basically given to those putative Americans who push Mexico's agenda inside the U.S. They're also part of organizations that include others linked to that government (also see this) and they take every chance they can to support illegal immigration.

In 1994, they gave their "Chicano Hero Award" to the person who'd made this statement years earlier (more on him here, here, and here):

"We have got to eliminate the gringo, and what I mean by that is if the worst comes to the worst, we have got to kill him."

Despite that, the NCLR has taken part in campaigns against "hate speech" and has tried to silence those who discuss facts about illegal immigration. An NCLR rep called the Fairness Doctrine a "partial solution".

The NCLR has consistently opposed most immigration enforcement. In 2007, they joined with some Mexico-linked groups to oppose workplace raids. More recently, they called for a moratorium on those immigration raids until such time as an amnesty bill passes. Also in 2007, they opposed a bill that would have stopped most home loans to illegal aliens. They even wanted to give a special break to illegal aliens charged with identity theft. From one of their reports:

Congress should revise the rules concerning release, deportation, and banishment of noncitizens charged with nonviolent offenses such as identity theft, so that arrested parents can be reunited with their children in cases where children face hardship.

Note that their proposal would only apply to illegal aliens and not to U.S. citizens who were accused of the same crime.

In 2006, Michele Waslin - their former director of Immigration Policy Research - wrote the following about an amendment to an amnesty bill:

"...while it doesn't overtly mention assimilation, it is very strong on the patriotism and traditional american [sic] values language in a way which is potentially dangerous to our communities."

They support giving drivers licenses to illegal aliens; in 2004 they threatened to withdraw a convention in California if Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill from Gil Cedillo that would allow that. Munoz had to "take a deep breath" after John Kerry took the American position.

They "urge passage" (nclr.org/content/policy/detail/1331) of the DREAM Act, an anti-American bill that would let the illegal aliens covered by the bill take college educations away from U.S. citizens. See that link for the details.

In December 2008 they joined with several other organizations to demand universal healthcare for all, including illegal aliens.

They refused to denounce Elvira Arellano, the convicted felon who'd been ordered deported and instead holed up in a Chicago church.

They didn't oppose the 2006 events featuring foreign citizens marching through our streets demanding that we change our laws to suit them; they just wanted the marches to be after work or school. They opposed HR4437, in part because of its impact on day laborers centers; about 75% of day laborers are illegal aliens per a UCLA study. During Katrina, they supported illegal aliens taking jobs from American hurricane victims. They also admitted that their "constituents" included illegal aliens. In 2005, they got current Ag Secretary and then Iowa governor Tom Vilsack to apologize for supporting an English-only bill. For examples of their low credibility, here's a misleading Murguia editorial and a disreputable editorial from an NCLR official. And, regarding their past president, see the round-up of Yzaguirre's support for illegal immigration.

In 2004, Munoz appeared on a Western Union panel; that company profits when illegal aliens send money back to their home countries (remittances).

From the pro-business side, they supported AgJobs, an amnesty with an indentured servitude component and their president came out in support of guest workers. In 2007, they joined an amnesty-supporting alliance that included the US Chamber of Commerce. See also this other group including the Chamber as well as a Mexican citizen helping set U.S. immigration policy.

Important note: Some opponents of illegal immigration weaken their case by confusing the NCLR with other groups, parties, movements, or concepts that have "La Raza" in their name; for instance, the NCLR and the defunct La Raza Unida Party are not the same thing. The NCLR has not advocated for reconquista but has issued (lukewarm) renunciations of that general movement. Opponents should concentrate on their reflexive, race-based support for illegal activity and their receipt of government funds, some of which is funneled to extremists.