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Shift On Same-Sex Marriage Energizes Immigration Activists

President Barack Obama's shift to support gay marriage is energizing young Hispanic voters who are working side-by-side with gay activists in their push for immigration reform. The alliance has been growing across the country.

Both the Democratic and Republican parties are focused heavily on winning the Hispanic vote. Latinos make up the fastest-growing minority group, and some 600,000 U.S.-born Hispanics turn 18 each year, widening the pool of more than 21 million Hispanic eligible voters.

An activist in the Florida Immigrant Coalition, Juan Rodriguez is an immigrant himself. He sees the gay rights and immigrant rights movements as very aligned and becoming more so every year.

Two leaders in the movement to pass a student-focused immigration bill have recently taken over two emerging gay rights groups as well.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.