February 04, 2019

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Castro Joined by DACA Recipient for State of the Union

WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and a member of the House Committees on Intelligence and Education and Labor, today announced that he will be accompanied by Carlos Salinas Hernandez as his guest for the 2019 State of the Union. A recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, Carlos currently studies at the Texas A&M College Station, and is a constituent of Congressman Castro’s congressional district. 

“DACA recipients are our neighbors, our educators, and pillars throughout our communities that enrich the fabric of our nation and strengthen our economic growth. Since the President ended DACA, these recipients have been forced to live in legal limbo, from court case to court case, and their long term futures remain uncertain,” said Chairman Castro. “I’m proud to have Carlos Salinas Hernandez as my guest for the 2019 State of the Union Address. We must continue to show the American people that those the President tries to demonize are just like you and me, and deserve a pathway to citizenship so they too can achieve their own version of the American dream.”

“The institution of DACA has given hope to many DREAMERs and allowed them to succeed in a country where many live day to day with fear and uncertainty of what tomorrow brings. As a DACA recipient, I have experienced a life where my future was darkened by a cloud of politics, but fortunate enough to see that my family along with other recipients manage to shine a light all around the country,” said Mr. Salinas. “DACA is more than just a policy, it’s an individual attending college, a mom being able to provide for her family, but most importantly it’s an opportunity to write a better future for every individual living in fear. I’m very grateful for having the opportunity to be Joaquin Castro’s guest to the State of the Union Address. I hope to demonstrate that Dreamers are here to make a change and make their dreams become a reality.”

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