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South Florida DREAMer To Join U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel For SOTU Address

During President Obama's State of the Union address tonight, a young, undocumented "DREAMer" from South Florida will be in the guest seat next to Democratic Congresswoman Lois Frankel.

Charlene Rupert, 21, of Palm Springs came to the United States from Venezuela with her grandmother when she was 11-years-old. She says she didn’t realize she was an undocumented immigrant until she was 16.

Today, she attends college part-time while working full-time to help support her family. Rupert says that during her stay in Washington, D.C., she’d like to urge lawmakers to pass fair, compassionate immigration laws.

“In the United States, dreams come true. Being able to go to work, to go to school, to become a better person which is something that is 10 times more difficult in our native countries,” says Rupert.

Frankel says Rupert is a perfect example of why Congress and President Obama need to work together toward an immigration reform plan that reflects American values.

“She learned English at an early age, excelled in school, stayed out of trouble and works to care for her family," says Frankel. "To force her to live in fear of being sent back to Venezuela would be contrary to the principles of our nation.” 

Last week, the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted to roll back President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The 2012 measure delays deportations of undocumented immigrants brought into the country illegally as children. 

Christine DiMattei is WLRN's Morning Edition anchor and also reports on Arts & Culture.
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