Editor’s note: This post is part of a series on immigration leading up to our Twitter Talk on February 13 at 9pm EST with Emmy-winning journalist Jorge Ramos. To take part in the conversation, follow #CountryForAll on Twitter.
Award-winning Univision news anchor Jorge Ramos has long taken a strong stand in favor of comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S. He’s the author of nine books, several of which deal with immigration and the Latino experience and influence in America. His critically-praised 2010 book, A Country for All: An Immigrant Manifesto, was timely when it debuted two years ago, and is now being re-released, just in time for congressional debates on a newly introduced immigration reform plan.
Ramos has long been described as part-advocate, part-journalist when it comes to speaking for the millions of undocumented immigrants in this country. He is strident in his approach, and not afraid to hold politicians’ feet to the fire, no matter what their stature. In an open letter to the Republican Party that aired on Univision prior to November 8, 2012 (Election Day), he made a bold prediction:
You will lose the Hispanic vote in the next presidential election. President Barack Obama will receive millions more Latino votes than your candidate Mitt Romney. But that’s not the worst part. I’m writing to let you know that unless you change your anti-immigrant positions, you might be sentenced to losing the White House for several decades.
And even though Ramos predicted an Obama victory, he publicly refuted the Obama campaign for using his image in a campaign ad. And he wasn’t shy about taking the President to task in a pre-election interview, in reference to Obama’s failure to introduce comprehensive immigration reform in his first term: “You promised. And a promise is a promise. With all due respect, you didn’t keep that promise.”
Join the Conversation: Mamiverse Twitter-Talk with Award-Winning Journalist Jorge Ramos
Ramos dedicates A Country for All to “…all undocumented immigrants. So you may live without fear.” The book is at once a heartfelt tribute to the millions of “invisibles”—the undocumented workers that live in the shadows of America, afraid of getting arrested, deported and separated from their families—and at the same time, very much a manifesto: it proposes a pragmatic approach to immigration reform that takes into account the economic as well as the social issues surrounding the subject.
Of the “invisibles,” Ramos writes: “…even though many Americans don’t realize that they exist, these immigrants are the strongest, bravest, most innovative, most persistent, most courageous, most devoted individuals you will ever meet. And each is fully committed to doing whatever it takes to succeed in the United States.”
He calls on the United States—its leaders and its people—to recognize that it is a land built by immigrants, and that its very legacy is one of welcoming those who come here in search of a better life. “Rescuing the most vulnerable people—the undocumented immigrants, the invisibles—and truly making them part of this nation has been a point of pride for the United States throughout its history,” writes Ramos. “We’re not asking for anything new.”
Mamiverse is pleased to partner with Latino Rebels and iHispano to present a live Twitter-Talk with Jorge Ramos, where he’ll discuss his book, diverse aspects of the immigration issue, and the recently-introduced bipartisan immigration proposal, which Ramos referred to on Twitter as “The best news on immigration since 1986…A real breakthrough.” We’ll hope you’ll join this important conversation.
Join the Conversation: Mamiverse Twitter-Talk with Award-Winning Journalist Jorge Ramo
