LAS VEGAS -- Presidential candidate and Texas Congressman Ron Paul visited the East Las Vegas Community Senior Center Wednesday morning. He chose this location, hoping to reach out to the Latino community and share his message.
The campaign had hoped to attract a crowd of 300, instead about 100 people showed up to hear what Paul had to say.
The community center is in the heart of a highly Hispanic area. One high school student caught the attention of the presidential hopeful and those in the audience when she asked about the Dream Act. Debbie Rios, a Rancho High School senior, sat in the front row and was one of the few to ask Paul a question. She told Paul she believed the act could help many students and asked for his perspective.
"I can't endorse the Dream Act because there is a lot of money involved. A lot of subsidies to the tune of billions of dollars," Paul answered.
It wasn't the answer Rios wanted to hear.
"I was shocked. I was hoping he would say that he does support it and he would maybe think about endorsing it."
Rios says the Dream Act could benefit many of her family and classmates.
"I go to a school that's 70 percent Hispanic and half of them don't even know they are undocumented," she said.
Congressman Paul did get some applause from Rios and others when he discussed his views on immigration.
"It's the one thing that I have resisted and condemned and think is not the American way. I just don't think barbed wire fences and guns on our border will solve any of our problems," Paul said.
This was Rios' first political rally and while she didn't hear what she wanted to regarding the Dream Act, she still thinks Paul has a chance in the presidential race.
