Hispanics slam Colorado governor over immigration remarks

WESTMINSTER, CO - OCTOBER 14: Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) addresses the audience at the Colorado Energy Forum presented by the Consumer Energy Alliance on October 14, 2014 in Westminster, Colorado. Colorado Gubernatorial canditates Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) and Republican candidate Bob Beauprez along with U.S. Sen. candidates Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) and U.S. Rep. Cory Gardener (R-CO) deliver their views on the future of the Colorado energy economy, and participate in a question and answer session. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) (2014 Getty Images)

DENVER (AP) – Colorado Hispanic activists are angry that the state's Democratic governor, John Hickenlooper, thinks it's fruitless to pursue citizenship for immigrants who are in the country illegally.

Hickenlooper on Wednesday told the Wall Street Journal that activists and Democrats should stop demanding a pathway to citizenship for those 11 million people and instead settle for five-year guest worker permits while securing the southern border.

On Friday, the Colorado Latino Forum slammed the governor, noting he was just re-elected with support from Hispanic voters and activists. The group said Hickenlooper "is out of touch with our community's priorities and values."

In an interview Friday, Hickenlooper said he hoped President Obama's new order granting deportation relief to some immigrants will spur congressional action. The governor called the proposal "combustible" in his Journal interview.

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