CORAL GABLES, Florida (CNN) -- Questions about immigration dominated a forum for Democratic presidential candidates put on Sunday by the Spanish-language television network Univision.


Democratic presidential candidates at a forum Sunday put on by Univision in Florida.

Front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton condemned what she called "very destructive" rhetoric on the issue.

Other Democrats blasted Republicans for demanding to clamp down on the U.S.-Mexico border. The candidates also took implicit jabs at GOP contenders who refused to sign up for a similar Spanish-language forum.

"There are many in the political world and, frankly, in the broadcast world today that take a particular aim at the Latino population," Clinton said. "I think it is very destructive. It undermines our unity as a country."

She cited an immigration bill the House of Representatives passed in 2006 as a "particularly egregious example."

She said the bill, which would have punished people who aid illegal immigrants, "would have criminalized the Good Samaritan. It would have criminalized Jesus Christ."

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said construction of a fence along the Mexican border to block illegal immigration was "a terrible example of Washington's misguided policy."

"Congress only funded half of the wall," said Richardson, who also served as energy secretary and U.N. ambassador in the Clinton administration. "If you are going to build a 12-foot wall, you know what is going to happen? A lot of 13-foot ladders. This is a terrible symbol of America."

Clinton said she favored tighter border controls, but said the nation needs comprehensive immigration reform.

The failed immigration bill also would have created a guest-worker program for immigrants.

Sen. Barack Obama, who has placed a consistent second in national polls, said President Bush missed a chance to defuse the fears of American workers who believe illegal immigrants will take their jobs.

"They feel that they are losing jobs. They feel like they are losing health care," the Illinois senator said. "They feel that they are falling behind, and their children won't have a better future. So a president has to speak out forcefully against anti-immigrant sentiment and racist sentiment, but also has to make sure that all workers are being tended to."

Since only two of the candidates -- Richardson and Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd -- speak Spanish, an interpreter relayed questions from the network and translated the answers for the audience.

The debate was held in South Florida, home to an extensive -- and heavily Republican -- Cuban immigrant population. Dodd said he would begin lifting the decades-old trade embargo on the communist government of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, saying Castro is "using that as an excuse for his own failures."

He said Cuba was already looking past the ailing Castro, who temporarily ceded power to his brother, Raul, last year.

"We need to understand it and be part of the transition in that country, to make a difference as it is occurring," Dodd said.

Clinton said Castro has gained allies in Latin America, such as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, under the Bush administration "because of the misguided, bullying policies of this president." She said she would work toward democratic change in Cuba.

Delaware Sen. Joe Biden was the only Democrat to miss Sunday's event. Biden, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will hold a Tuesday hearing on the Bush administration's highly anticipated report on the progress of the war in Iraq.

Former Sen. John Edwards, the party's 2004 vice presidential nominee, said he was concerned the report -- presented by Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker -- would be "a sales job by the White House."

Edwards, of North Carolina, said that if Iraqi leaders don't reach a political solution to the four-year-old war, Congress should set a timetable for American troops to leave.

"And if the president vetoes a bill that has a timetable for withdrawal, the Congress should send him another bill with a timetable for withdrawal until the troops come home," he said.

Nothing in the Bush administration's report will change the fact that there is no military solution to the problems in Iraq, Clinton said.

"I believe we should start bringing our troops home," she said.


But Richardson challenged her and other candidates by saying that he would leave no residual force behind in Iraq.

"I would bring them all home, every one of them," within six to eight months, Richardson said.

well it is perfectly clear which side of the fence these candidates are on.i watched some of this broadcast and couldn't belive some of the responces,first they believe that we should discontinue illegal immigrant raids! they believe we should become more of a working partner with mexico,they were asked by a latino why the u.s. wants a fence at the mexican border,but not at the canada border,no one would answer it,they beat around the bush on this one,why not be honest,how many crimes are committed by illegal immigrants with a latino backround compared to crimes committed by canadians entering this country.bottom line these candidates are clearly working for the latino vote and will not enforce illegal immigration,more or less us legal american vote no longer matters,with these candidates reckless thinking we will soon be known as the united states of mexico!wake up america its time to send a clear message to these politicians!

Surprise surprise, politicans will always court voters, that is why the legal voters in this country need to stand tall and demand our borders be secured and illegals removed.

__________________
An informed voter scares the Goverment lackeys.

An American first and always a Conservative.

I don't have the details on this yet, just heard about it, there is a bill (supposedly in the house) H.R. 1940 that deals with "anchor babies". If this is a good bill let's get behind this and push for it's passage.

Is anybody really suprised??

__________________
"A committee is a group of people who individually can do nothing but together can decide that nothing can be done."
Fred Allen

"A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul."
George Bernard Shaw

"Politics is the art of choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable."
John Galbraith

They have played the black vote for years....

__________________
"A committee is a group of people who individually can do nothing but together can decide that nothing can be done."
Fred Allen

"A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul."
George Bernard Shaw

"Politics is the art of choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable."
John Galbraith

Heard of BC bud?

The godfather has spoken the truth once again.

__________________
An informed voter scares the Goverment lackeys.

An American first and always a Conservative.

The one thing I agree whole heartedly with Ron Paul on is immigration:

Immigration — believes in securing the borders, rejecting amnesty, and reclaiming our right as a sovereign nation to control immigration without apology. Also opposes “anchor-baby” entitlements.

Oh my Gosh

Bush wants to let them in in mass for a " guest worker program"

Mc Cain says amercians won't pick lettuce at $50 a hour

Both parties want them , really big business lobbies want them

But Bush just made it possible for mexican truck driver to run these roads.

Grow a brain already. Politicians are bought and paid for and want what the guy stufffing money on their pocket wants.

remember Bush wanting to sell the ports to Arabs. Oh they are good people and business people he said.