The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials begins their annual conference with scheduled speeches from Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.

Unfortunately for thousands of Hispanic lawmakers descending on Washington D.C. this weekend, neither presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton nor presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump will make the trip.

Republicans told NALEO Executive Director Arturo Vargas that Trump was unavailable, though Trump never spoke with the organization. According to NBC News, the Clinton campaign said the former Secretary of State is not fielding requests for organizational events she attended last year.

In a statement, Vargas called it a "significant missed opportunity" to reach out to the Latino community following the mass shooting at an Orlando LGBT nightclub.

"Given the extraordinary role our nation's Latino leaders play in keeping the wheels of our country turning during times of crisis and peace, it is important that NALEO members directly from the candidates vying for the nation's highest office," Vargas said.

He added, "The tragic events in Orlando that shook the foundations of the LGBTQ and Latino community, and all Americans, make the presence of the presumptive nominees even more critical."

Sanders Sends a Message

Local, state, and federal officials from around the country converge on the NALEO's conference every year. The event itself is of importance to presidential candidates. Then-Senator Barack Obama addressed the nonpartisan group in 2008, and again during his re-election bid in 2012.

Sanders has all but admitted defeat to Clinton in chasing the Democratic nomination, but he still RSVP'd for a presidential candidate forum early Thursday morning.

Inadvertent or not, the Vermont senator omitted saying either Trump or Clinton's name throughout his 20-minute speech. Sanders said voters would not elect someone who makes "bigotry the cornerstone of their campaigns," referring to Trump's proposed anti-immigration policies.

"The American people in 2016 are not going to vote for a candidate who insults Muslims and Latinos and women and African-Americans," Sanders said.

Sanders said he has been "struck by fear" over the prospect of deportations breaking families apart.

Clinton Meeting with LULAC

The League of United Latin American Citizens announced Thursday that Clinton will attend its 87th national in Washington D.C. next month.

"As one of the country's most influential leaders, LULAC is eager to hear Secretary Clinton's vision and her plans to address the issues of importance to the Latino community," LULAC National President Roger C. Rocha Jr. said in a press release.

Rocha's statement was released just as the Supreme Court deadlocked on President Obama's plan protecting millions of undocumented immigration from deportation.