Florida, US (BBN)-Democratic Party presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have sparred over immigration and other issues during a debate in Florida.
The televised event in Miami took place just days before the next round of primaries, including Florida, reports BBC.
With 246 delegates at stake, the southern state is the biggest prize.
Sanders had a surprise victory in Michigan on Tuesday, but Hillary Clinton increased her overall lead with a big win in Mississippi.
In the Republican race on the same day, Donald Trump won three more states (Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii) in his bid to win the Republican nomination.
Ted Cruz won a Republican-only race in Idaho.
The states were the latest to choose candidates to compete in November’s presidential election.
‘AKIN TO SLAVERY’
During the Miami debate, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticised Vermont Senator Sanders for voting against an immigration reform back in 2007.
“Just think, imagine where we would be today if we had achieved comprehensive immigration reform nine years ago,” she said.
Sanders responded by saying he had concerns about the treatment of guest workers.
The proposed programme was “akin to slavery”, he said.
He also said that Hillary Clinton was against allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licences.
Nearly two million Hispanics live in Florida, and their support will play a big role in the 15 March primary.
Florida is home to nearly 1.8 million Hispanics, including about 15 per cent of the state’s Democrats.
The two rivals also discussed job creation, education and climate change.
And they both attacked Trump, with Hillary Clinton saying that his “trafficking in prejudice and paranoia has no place in our political system”.
She said Trump could not even decide “whether to disavow Ku Klux Klan”.
Meanwhile, Sanders said: “I think that the American people are never going to elect a president who insults Mexicans, who insults Muslims, who insults women, who insults African-Americans.”
THE NEXT VOTES
15 March: Florida, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio Primaries
22 March: Arizona Primary, Utah Caucuses, Idaho Caucuses (Democratic)
26 March: Alaska, Hawaii, Washington Caucuses (Democratic)
1 April: North Dakota Caucuses (Republican)
5 April: Wisconsin Primary
9 April: Wyoming Caucuses (Democratic)
19 April: New York Primary
BBN/SK/AD