The White House announced Wednesday that current Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and advisor to the President on immigration policy and reform, Cecilia Muñoz is to replace Melody Barnes as Director of the Domestic Policy Council. In her new capacity, Muñoz will continue to advise the President on the topic of immigration, but will now have a more far reaching influence, contributing to discussions on all issues of domestic policy.
Recently, President Obama has been accused by some of pandering to Latino voters as he officially begins his campaign for reelection. Last week, his announcement that he would streamline the process through which undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens can apply for legal residency struck some as opportunistically timed. Muñoz has long been an advocate for the Latino community in the U.S., previously serving as Vice President of the National Council of La Raza. Thus, some are already pointing to Muñoz’ promotion as further evidence of the President’s push to secure the Latino vote.
Unfortunately, Muñoz’ promotion could in the end cost Obama just as many Latino votes as he originally hoped to garner. Although Muñoz was once held up as a vanguard among Latinos in the U.S., she has recently fallen out of favor with some do to her continued support of the Obama-championed Secure Communities program. In November, local activists in Phoenix protested against Muñoz, as she was in Arizona speaking at the National League of Cities Conference. Several national Latino organizations including political advocacy group Presente.org have actively campaigned to get Muñoz to denounce Secure Communties, but she has yet to do so.
Still, not all Latinos and advocates for immigrants’ rights share this strong sense of disappointment in Muñoz, and many are in fact championing her appointment with the Domestic Policy Council. Vice President for Immigration Policy and Advocacy with the Center for American Progress, Angela Kelley, for example, reacted to the news, saying, Muñoz’ new position “ensures [immigration] will receive the needed expertise and finesse at the highest levels of” government. In fact, Muñoz has proven herself a strong advocate in the past for Latinos in this country. Having someone with her credentials in such a prominent position in the White House could be a boon to Latinos, immigrants and their allies. It all depends on what positions she chooses to espouse and promote in her new capacity.
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