Spanish-language ad tries to link Heck and Trump on immigration

By Megan Messerly

Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016 | 10:31 a.m.

A new Spanish-language ad hitting the airwaves in Nevada today attempts to draw parallels between Republican U.S. Senate candidate Joe Heck and his party’s presidential nominee, Donald Trump.

The ad rehashes an argument made multiple times against Heck, a Nevada congressman, this election cycle that his stance on immigration is akin to Trump’s because he voted in favor of a bill that included an amendment to defund the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

The program, created by President Barack Obama through executive order, shields millions of people not legally in the country from deportation.

The ad, which will run on broadcast and digital platforms, is paid for by the Senate Majority PAC, Senate Democrats’ main super PAC with ties to retiring Democratic U.S. Sen. Harry Reid.

Heck is embroiled in a fierce battle against Democratic former Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto for Reid’s seat.

Heck and fellow Nevada Republicans Reps. Cresent Hardy and Mark Amodei first voted against a bill amendment defunding the DACA program. However, all three voted for the final version of the bill, which included that provision.

They also voted in favor of blocking funding for an expansion of DACA and a separate program that shields parents of U.S. citizens or residents, known as DAPA.

“On immigration, Heck voted against DACA and DAPA four times, putting thousands of Dreamers at risk of deportation,” the ad says in Spanish.

The ad, however, goes a step further in suggesting Heck’s votes on DACA and DAPA are parallel to Trump’s suggestion that the United States form a deportation force.

It also tries to draw similarities between Heck’s vote to scale back federal Pell Grants for college education and Trump saying he is going to cut funding for the Department of Education.