Morella Mora Leal, a project coordinator at The Center for Social Research at the University of Hartford, writes in an op-ed in the Hartford Courant that “it is crucial for Latinos here to send a clear, united message to President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney about the importance of getting the immigration issue right.”
Leal, the daughter of a Chilean who herself was born in Venezuela, wrote of her and her mother’s struggles after arriving in the U.S., “Our path to legality was not easy; obtaining our permanent residency was very costly, and despite having family and community support, the stress that we experienced as “illegals” was at times, devastating. Now as a “legal” immigrant, I share a privilege with others who have similar stories, to advocate for undocumented Latinos who live with the daily fear of speaking out about their experiences.”
The op-ed piece also warns against what could happen if Romney is elected president, with a quotation from a former White House advisor who says the Republican wants to placate both sides. Leal said, “The ultimate goal must be to ensure a better quality of life for those in the undocumented community who work, almost always, in low-wage, unsafe and unsupported environments. Putting aside President Obama’s immigration failings, the possibility of Mitt Romney becoming president should only serve to terrify the Latino community. Former White House adviser Van Jones recently told CNN, “He cannot hug and kiss the tea party and then try to hug and kiss the Latino community.”‘
Read the complete Hartford Courant op-ed.
