Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D., Calif.) said Wednesday of Latinos that Mitt Romney "doesn’t even want us to be here."
The comment came during an interview with MSNBC's Luke Russert on the electoral impact of the administration’s announcement that the Department of Homeland Security will cease to deport young illegal immigrants without criminal records.
"I believe Barack Obama better understands that than does Mitt Romney," Sanchez said of Latino educational and economic interests. "Mitt Romney doesn’t even want us to be here."
Russert did not challenge Sanchez on the comment, and instead moved on to comments made by Speaker John Boehner on the president's immigration policy.
LUKE RUSSERT: Mitt Romney is running a new Spanish-language ad touting the economy. Come November, do you think Latino voters will make a decision for president based on who can provide them a better economic future or who provides immigrants a better chance of succeeding in the United States in a legal manner?
REP. LORETTA SANCHEZ: Because our country is a country of immigrants, Latinos and Hispanics are no different than any other group who has come here to the United States –and that is we want the opportunity to educate our children, we want the opportunity to work hard, we want the opportunity to put our ideas into place and own our own businesses. I believe Barack Obama better understands that than does Mitt Romney. Mitt Romney doesn’t even want us to be here. So, I think that’s how the Latino community is viewing it. So I believe that Latinos will vote heartfully and in large masses for President Barack Obama in this November election.
RUSSERT: Speaker Boehner had this to say about the president’s announcement yesterday. I want to get your reaction after we play it.
Sanchez has a history of controversial statements. Last year, she mocked Congressional Tea Partiers with a fake Southern accent in an interview with liberal talk show host Stephanie Miller.
In 2010, Sanchez said in an interview with Univision that Republicans and "the Vietnamese" were trying to take her Congressional seat away from Democrats. Sanchez was then running against a Vietnamese challenger.