Dreamers, Immigrant Activists from Across the Country Join President Obama for Historic Town Hall in Miami, FL
Telemundo/MSNBC Event Will Be the First Time President Obama Officially Meets Face-to-Face With Undocumented Americans-In-Waiting
MIAMI, FL – Tomorrow, Telemundo and MSNBC will host a bilingual town hall with President Obama, set to air on both channels at 7:00pm ET/6:00pm CT, moderated by Jose Diaz Balart. The groundbreaking event, pre-recorded at Florida International University in Miami, will be the first time that the President will officially meet undocumented Americans, face-to-face. Despite all the attacks on immigrant families in Congress and in the Courts, President Obama will use the forum to speak to America and the community directly impacted, and explain how he will defend the new immigration programs.
In an exclusive op-ed today in The Hill, President Obama explained:
“[L]ate last year, in the face of congressional Republicans’ continued refusal to act, I took new common-sense steps within my authority to fix as much of our broken immigration system as possible. The steps I announced will help us secure the border, prioritize scarce resources, and hold millions of undocumented immigrants accountable by requiring them to pass background checks and pay taxes in order to have a chance to temporarily remain here without fear of deportation. These steps are good for our economy, for our families and for our country. They are also the kinds of steps taken by every Republican and Democratic president for the past half-century.”
Several dozen immigrants from around the country have been selected to attend the forum, and the following participants are available for interviews:
Blanca Gamez (Las Vegas, NV) is a DREAMer from Nevada who recently met with the President in the Oval Office. During her meeting, she urged the President to forcefully defend his new immigration actions, and to interact directly with the immigrant community. Speaks English and Spanish
Raul Esparza de la Paz (Hermiston, OR) Raul has fed cows in America for 16 years. He takes pride in his work because he knows it feeds millions of people in America. He is excited that he will qualify for DAPA. He is a father of 4 children; one of his children is already a 2012 DACA recipient. His wife and two other children will also benefit from DAPA. Speaks Spanish.
Jong-Min You (New York, NY) is 35 years old and would likely be eligible for the expanded DACA program. After graduating from The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, the pre-med major tried to apply to Harvard Law School with the goal of becoming a federal judge. When he disclosed his undocumented status to an admissions officer he was told that he simply could not apply. Speaks English.
James Alexandre (Miami, FL) Originally from Haiti and in the U.S. for 17 years, James received TPS after the earthquake in 2013. Thanks to TPS he was able to get a good job in transportation. But, he isn’t able to travel back home to see his family – his grandmother passed away in 2012 and he wasn’t able to see her. Speaks English & Kreyol.
Bertha Sanles (Miami, FL) came to the US 15 years ago from Nicaragua. She’s a domestic worker in Miami and her oldest daughter received DACA in 2012, eventually able to go to college. Bertha and her husband would likely be eligible for the new DAPA program because they have a US citizen daughter. Speaks English and Spanish
Julio Calderon (Miami, FL) Originally from Honduras, Julio is a DREAMer that didn’t qualify for the 2012 DACA because he crossed the desert and entered the United States 2 months after turning 16 years old. Speaks English and Spanish.
Viviana Beatriz Ivalo (Miami, FL), 47, came to the US with her husband and four children 15 years ago in the midst of Argentina’s economic crisis. Her husband died 3 years ago from cancer. The jobs he had to do and not being able to get proper medical attention due to being undocumented made it impossible for him to get treatment and recover. Viviana is now head of the family and looks after her 4 sons. She is likely eligible for the new DAPA program because some of her sons are now US citizens or legal permanent residents. Speaks Spanish.
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