Liberal critic of Obama also filed articles of impeachment against Trump
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. Arguably best known as a high-profile member of Congress who appealed to Spanish-speaking Latinos watching Univision or Telemundo television Cong. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) a longtime advocate for comprehensive immigration reform and a strident critic of both the Obama and Trump Administrations
announced Tuesday he is retiring from Congress.
An eagerly sought out guest who could weigh in on all issues of the day in Spanish or English Gutierrez was arrested earlier this year outside of Trump Tower in New York protesting the presidents new immigration enforcement policy.
But Gutierrez may be best known for being the harshest liberal critic of former president Barack Obama a fellow Chicagoan whom he called the Deporter in Chief" for ordering immigration agencies to deport 100s of 1000s of undocumented immigrants whom he strongly disagreed with after the Obama decided to use the early years of his presidency to push for health-care reform instead of immigration overhaul.
An immigration reform activist who easily won reelection in a Chicago-area District the 63-year-old congressman has served a since 1993 and is a senior member of the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
A 2013 Washington Post profile of the congressman noted that There are only a few names that are familiar to most Hispanic families and Luis Gutierrez is one of them."
Jorge Ramos who anchors Univisions nightly newscast Noticiero Univision" said Gutierrez could draw a crowd not just because hes always on but because hes on the right side of history or hes on the side
of Latinos and undocumented immigrants."
Reports had surfaced Monday evening that Gutierrez would not seek reelection despite his telling The Washington Post shortly before Thanksgiving that he was planning to file for reelection. Im filing my papers and Im doing it again" he said at the time.
But he had privately hinted to colleagues that he wanted to retire believing he could do so now after the Hispanic Caucus has more than 30 members including several younger more ambitious colleagues.
While many Americans will know Gutierrez for is his frustrating battles with Fox News TV anchors Gutierrez prided himself on being a champion for immigration policy.
He also filed articles of impeachment against President Trump earlier in November.
Gutierrez is not the only senior Latino lawmaker to announce they are stepping down next year. Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) the most senior Hispanic female Republican in Congress also recently announced she will retire after 2018.
