Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) said Sunday that the Republican agenda "looks like it's from another century — or maybe two."
"It looks like the platform of 1812," said Villaraigosa, who is serving as chairman of next week's Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.
Villaraigosa told Fox News Sunday that Democrats have a "plan to take us forward." He slammed Republicans for pushing repeal of healthcare reform and said their immigration plan was to have illegal immigrants self-deport themselves.
Villaraigosa said despite GOP efforts to woo Hispanics during their convention with speeches from Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, the party’s line on immigration would push away the fast-growing demographic group.
"Self-deportation of 11 million people? No country in the world has ever done that," Villaraigosa said.
He said that the GOP agenda "scapegoats and demonizes immigrants," and condemned the party for praising backers of the stringent immigration laws in Arizona and Alabama.
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R), who co-authored Arizona’s anti-illegal immigration measure attended the convention.
The Democratic convention begins Tuesday in Charlotte.
