DREAMer Astrid Silva and Karla Ortiz joined Jorge Ramos on “El Punto” to discuss their appearances at the Democratic National Convention last week, as well as to discuss what a Trump Presidency would mean to them, their families, and millions of other families across the nation.
“You are both young women who have transformed this convention,” Ramos told the two.
The speeches from Astrid and Karla — as well as those from immigrants like Lorella Praeli and Gold Star parent Khizr Khan — not only highlighted a more optimistic and inclusive vision of America, but also demonstrated how high the stakes are for immigrants this Presidential election.
Karla, a US citizen from a mixed-status immigrant family, told Ramos that living in fear is a constant state of mind for her. “I’m afraid that I won’t find my parents when I come home,” she said. Karla’s mom, Francisca, also spoke at the convention.
“My parents came here to give me a better future,” Karla said, adding that it’s not just undocumented immigrants who face uncertain futures under a Trump Presidency.
Some 4.5 million United States citizen children have at least one parent who is an undocumented immigrant. Under a President Donald Trump, these young kids face having their citizenship revoked and thrown out of the country of their birth.
Astrid, sitting at Karla’s side, added that “it’s important that people who have the power to vote, get out to vote.”
Astrid shared more of her own family’s inspiring story. Astrid came to the United States at the age of four, wearing a dress and her only possession a doll, she told Ramos. Today, she’s a key leader in the immigration movement and has earned two degrees.
Karla has the same dreams as Astrid, saying she wants to “keep studying…so I can keep learning.” She even floated the idea of becoming the nation’s first Latina President.
“Every person that has dreams can achieve them,” she said.
Click below to watch Karla and Astrid’s interviews with Jorge Ramos.
