Posted on 01/07/2016 11:50:23 AM PST by VinL
GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz told a young woman who expressed fears that the next president might deport people like her that there are consequences for law breakers.
Cruz's response to Ofelia Valdez, who works for a non-profit that assists children with special needs, drew applause from those attending the Storm Lake, Iowa, event Wednesday. The exchange was captured on video by the Democratic Party, which provided a copy of the video to NBC News Latino. To see the video, click here.
Valdez, 30, identified herself as one of the approximately 700,000 immigrants who arrived or stayed in the country illegally, but have been allowed to remain and work under President Barack Obama's 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
"As a DACA holder myself, I worried about whoever comes next to the presidency and what's going to happen to people like us," Valdez says in the video, her voice sounding nervous. "I think of myself as a part of this community and you know, first day of presidency, you decide to deport, you know, people like myself, you know, it's just very difficult (inaudible)."
Cruz responds that by definition, a DACA recipient was brought to the U.S. illegally "and violating the laws has consequences."
"One of the problems of our broken immigration system is that it is creating human tragedies and and there are human tragedies when people break the law," he said.
He goes on to say other countries deport people who arrive illegally and U.S. laws should be equally respected and the consequences to breaking the law are "part of what makes America what we are."
Reached in Storm Lake by phone, Valdez told NBC News Latino that she had been wanting to hear the candidates and learned in a Google search that Cruz would be in town.
"I didn't know what to expect ... and was surprised when he was talking about things on his list for his first day of his presidency and at the top of the list was to deport immigrants here with DACA," Valdez said. "That's myself."
She told NBC she came to the U.S. at 15; she and her family are from Mexico.
"We are dealing with so much as a country of so much more importance and that is what he is focusing on," she said. "I agree with some of the things he has on his agenda, terrorism and other things the country is experiencing, and then he decides to do deportation as a priority his first days in office."
Valdez said she is a human resources director and oversees 140 people and also is an English as A Second Language instructor. She said she hopes the exchange helps put a face to who is being discussed when candidates talk about illegal immigrants.
"They need to know this is who they talk about when they talk about deportations," she said.
Cruz was flanked at the event by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, whom he recently named a national co-chair of his campaign. King has tried to pass end the DACA program through legislation and legislative provisions he's drafted and has stirred controversy by comparing immigrants to drug mules and cattle.
Many DACA recipients were brought to the country as young children and have grown up here as the Congress has failed for more than a decade to address their situation. Legislation known as the DREAM Act, which would have provided a path to legal residency or citizenship for many of the immigrants who attended college or served in the military, has failed repeatedly.
Cruz's position on immigration has been under scrutiny because of his previous support for expanding legal immigration avenues. But since he was grilled about his position by Marco Rubio in a GOP presidential debate last month, Cruz has been toughening his stand, which the addition of King to his campaign is helping to demonstrate.
“Dreamer”, liberal talk for “illegal alien” that violates the law every single damned day she is here.
Unfortunately, a majority of Americans favor amnesty now. The liberals win another issue. Great.
Good luck to her. Maybe the next country she invades will give her more free stuff and let her stay. Then again, she could just work to make Mexico a better place.
“And if Heidi has her way...”
That is a straw man argument because we are not electing Heidi. If that argument were valid then we can say the same about Trump because he is admitted friends to Bloomberg and the Clintons. Besides, please provide the link that shows Heidi is for an “assault gun ban”.
Here are several links proving that Trump is FOR an “assault” weapons ban...
FROM TRUMP’S BOOK ËœThe America We Deserve”. TRUMP WROTE: The Republicans walk the NRA line and refuse to even limited restrictions. I generally oppose gun control, but I support the ban on assault weapons and I also support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun.”
ANOTHER DIRECT QUOTE FROM A TRUMP INTERVIEW: Trump even recently claimed that assault weapons should be banned by stating, “who needs them except criminals and police?”
Trump even financially support the McAuliffe campaign, knowing McAuliffe is a Bloomberg gun-grabber.
Trump is the only candidate so far that hasn’t come out on record criticizing Obama’s gun control EO’s and vowing to overturn them.
Send her ass home FIRST.
Followed by the other 700,000 nightmares...er, dreamers.
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She’s here illegally, what does she expect?
She can’t even vote anyway, who cares what she thinks.
WE are being played by a gifted politician. Cruz will not do that. Once he captures the Republican Nomination he will pivot on this. He will not deport the dreamers. Pandering.
My sympathy meter broke some time ago.
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Her fears are quite warranted.
Since she is traceable she will go quickly.
The others will have to take themselves home when their illegal employers (like Trump) are prosecuted and incarcerated.
Trump will look great in an orange jumpsuit.
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Hey stupid noob, you can go with her.
The more recent the noob, the lower the IQ.
No wonder we’re sliding.
My father robbed a bank 10 years ago.
Today the government is threatening to take our house, my car and my college money just because it’s the money he 10 years ago.
It’s just not fair that I’m being punished for his behavior.
GOOD. BUH-BYE.
Cruz admittedly is the second candidate on my list for reasons that I’ve already argued about, and will not bring up on this thread, but he still has my wholehearted support.
who's employing her?
If it were me Id fear being begged to go on tour with the Hillary campaign...
Keep thinking that and alienating other conservatives and we will lose.Yeah right, because you are new to this site means you:
1) Have a low IQ
2) A plant for someone else
3) Could not possibly be a real conservative.
4) Have some agenda.
5) Should not be taken seriously. ‘
6) LOL.
She needed to be asked..... If I broke into your house would you let me stay for dinner... walk throughout your house like I lived there... used all your facilities....have babies and raised them in your house so I can live a better life off the life you've built and worked for"
Me too lol
I cant make my mind up if Id be more afraid of being taken on Tour...by Bernie,...or Hillary
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You’re no conservative.
Your disinformation is pure trolling.
You may have noticed that about 90% of the posters here are solid backers of Ted Cruz, and are aware that he is a truly honest and dedicated representative of the people.
Jerks like you do not fit in here.
Get educated.
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