While Mitt Romney was delivering his address to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Congress convention in Los Angeles Monday afternoon, a group of protesters wanted to shine the spotlight on the Republican presidential candidate's positions on immigration.

About 50 demonstrators gathered outside the L.A. Convention Center and marched up Figueroa Street toward the J.W. Marriott where Romney highlighted his economic plan to help small-business owners and chastised President Barack Obama for politicizing the immigration issue. Protesters chanted "Veto Romney," while some wore graduation gowns to show support for the DREAM Act, a bill that would provide conditional permanent residency to undocumented immigrants, but has stalled in the Republican-controlled House.

Pablo Reyes, the president of National Pursuit of DREAMs, an organization that seeks to spread awareness of the DREAM Act, took a semester off from attending the College of the Sequoias to spread word about the bill. The 21-year-old, who left the Mexican town of Morelia at age 13 to settle in Orlando, Fla., before moving to California, said he has applied for Obama's deferred action program allowing young undocumented immigrants to stay in the U.S.

Reyes, who hopes to attend Brescia University in Kentucky to study political science, said the purpose of the march was to expose Romney's "extreme views on immigration." He also criticized the GOP candidate's ambiguity over whether or not he would continue Obama's deferral program if elected president.

"Romney has promised to veto the DREAM Act," Reyes said. "He hasn't given us a concrete answer on deferred action."

The rally also attempted to shed light on LGBT members of the undocumented immigrant community.

"They have not only come out as undocumented, but also as gay," Reyes said. "We want to let them know that they're not alone and they let us know the same."

DREAM Team Los Angeles and Dream Action Coalition were among other organizations at the rally. During the Republican primary, Romney said that, if elected, he would veto the DREAM Act but has since softened his stance. He supports a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who serve in the military.

Demonstrator Maria Rodriguez said she is pursuing a credential to teach at the elementary school level. The student at West Hills College Lemoore spoke of the financial issues DREAMers encounter when trying to pay for college and apply for jobs. 

"We can't work or get a better education and help our families," Rodriguez said.

The 18-year-old said she is "really scared" of what a Romney presidency would mean for Obama's executive order halting the deportation of young undocumented immigrants.

"If Romney goes into office, there's a high possibility that he might get rid of it. We are trying really hard to get Obama up there or make Romney change his stance on immigration," Rodriguez said.

Shouts of "No papers, no fear, immigrants are marching here" erupted as protesters marched in a circle outside the Marriott building. Some waved American flags, while others carried colorful posters depicting Romney as an anti-immigrant candidate.

The demonstrators came from L.A., the Central Valley, and even Arizona, which has found itself at the center of the immigration debate due to controversial legislation that has been pushed by lawmakers in that state.

Miguel Montalva of Orange County said Romney's views are out of touch with the immigrant community and only creates fear.

"Having the chance to work and use the skills you've learned along the way would be a huge burden off someone's back," he said.

Montalva has a master's degree in sociology but has had to turn down job opportunities because he doesn't have a work permit. The 27-year-old has applied for a deferment and said he wants Romney to "show his true colors" on immigration.

"A lot of his language de-humanizes the immigrant population," Montalva said. "It's so unclear where he lies on every issue. I'm not so sure I would trust him because someone who keeps switching his opinion back and forth is not the kind of person you want as president."

During his address, Romney issued remarks about how the ailing economy has adversely affected the Latino community.

“While national unemployment is 8.1 percent, Hispanic unemployment is over 10 percent. Over 2 million more Hispanics are living in poverty today than the day President Obama took office," Romney said.

With California solidly in Obama's corner, the speech served primarily as Romney's pitch to a crucial voting group he will need to compete in November battleground states like Colorado, Florida and Nevada.

Obama outpolled Romney 64 to 27 percent among Latino registered voters in a Gallup poll conducted around the time of the Republican National Convention in late August.

 

Reach Staff Reporter Danny Lee here; follow him here.