Latino Political Action Groups to set its New Years Agenda

A new year with new challenges for New Jersey's growing Latino population. On WOBM-AM's Townsquare Tonight, Latino Action Network President Frank Argote-Fryre, said they have a lot of work ahead of them explaining President Obama's executive order on immigration.

"The main goal of what we're doing is to try to get the word out about how this can protect you, how it's helpful and what it doesn't do," said Argote-Freyre.

However, Argote-Freyre, who's also a Latin-American History Professor at Kean University and Director of the Latino Coalition, said they're very pleased with the president's decision to issue the executive order on immigration. He said it helps an estimated 5-million people who have been living in this country for over a decade, to come out from the shadows without fear of deportation.

Also on the agenda, is affordable housing. When describing the Latino Coalition's take on affordable housing ... Argote-Freyre said they believe the people who make the meals and mow the lawns should be living in the same communities as the people with the McMansions.

"We believe every community should have an economic balance in it. It should be economically integrated," he said.

The Latino Action Network filed a complaint with the department of Housing and Urban Development about Sandy redevelopment money's and was able to secure funding for 5,000 affordable housing units through out the state.

"It's not simply about replacing homeowners and their properties, that's important too. But the people who were renting here, they need a place to live too," Argote-Freyre explained.

Also on the Latino Action Network's agenda for 2015 is education funding, criminal justice reform, lobbying for driver's licenses for the undocumented.

The Latino Action Network will be holding its Legislative Conference on January 31st at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark.