Black & Brown Forum presses Clinton on deportations, Sanders on gun vote

DES MOINES - Hillary Clinton declined to pledge that as president she would not deport children brought to the U.S. illegally.

And Bernie Sanders defended his 2005 vote in support of legislation that protected gun sellers from lawsuits stemming from shootings.

The front-runners for the Democratic nomination for president were pressed on the issues Monday evening on the Drake University campus during the Iowa Black & Brown Forum, which organizers as the nation's oldest minority issues forum.

Clinton was pressed on whether she would pledge to not deport children. Moderator Jorge Ramos asked Clinton if she would be 'the next deporter-in-chief,” a reference to Latinos' criticism of the deportation policies of President Barack Obama's administration.

Clinton, who served as Obama's Secretary of State, said she would not offer a blanket deportation rule and that each case should be determined individually.

'Here's what I can promise … everyone will get due process,” Clinton said. 'We have to be sensitive and humane in the application of our laws.”

Sanders was asked if his vote on 2005 gun legislation was a mistake.

'It's not a mistake. Like many pieces of legislation, it's complicated,” Sanders said.

Sanders explained that he believes a gun seller who legally sold a firearm should not be held accountable if someone who uses that firearm in a crime. He did say sellers who sell many guns into high-crime areas should be prosecuted.

Clinton and Sanders are in a tight race in Iowa, according to polls. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll published this weekend showed Clinton leading Sanders, 48 percent to 45 percent, within the poll's margin for error.

Lagging far behind in single digits is Martin O'Malley, who during Monday night's forum insisted he will still be a player in the Democratic race.

'I believe the people of Iowa have a way of sorting through things,” O'Malley said. 'I believe we're going to surprise a lot of people on caucus night.”

Latino and black Iowans expressed skepticism with candidates and elected officials from both political parties during a roundtable discussion, hosted by DREAM Iowa, that held earlier Monday at a local church. And there was little love for the current administration, especially over deportations.