Mexican actor and pro-life advocate Eduardo Verástegui met personally with President Donald Trump in the White House last Friday to plead for a pathway to citizenship for so-called “Dreamers.”
In the September 27 meeting with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, the Catholic filmmaker presented Trump a letter written on behalf of those impacted by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) asking the President to “let your heart lead you in addressing this crisis.”
“Whatever their parents may have done, these young men and women were brought here as children and are now law-abiding, loyal Americans,” read the letter, which was included in an Oct. 1 press release.
“From a human standpoint it is unjust for them to be punished for something they did not do. They know no other home but the United States. No other family but America. And you are their President!” Verástegui wrote.
Verástegui, who most recently served as an executive producer of the pro-life hit film “Unplanned,” said his plea is part of a larger vision of what it means to be pro-life — “to protect not only the unborn, but every human person, especially those most in need.”
Citing Trump’s past remarks that he would treat Dreamers “with heart,” Verástegui sought to highlight common ground with the Republican president.
“We request you to let your heart lead you in addressing this crisis,” read the letter.
“We realize that a solution requires an agreement with Congress and cannot be achieved unilaterally. But here both heart and head call for legislation to ratify their legalization. The Dreamers and their families pay $9 billion in federal and state taxes and their purchasing power is estimated at $24.1 billion. At the level of economics and justice, a deal for the Dreamers is a great deal for America! You might say this is the Heart of the Deal!”
The actor and activist made the visit in the middle of Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated from September 15 to October 15. He told Trump in the letter that he envisioned “a new partnership between Mexico and the United States, a social ecosystem built on our mutual strengths.”
“It is in our hands to make it happen because we share the same core values: hard work, a spirit of service and a love for God, the family and our country,” he continued. "I especially appreciate your leadership and commitment in defending the rights of the unborn.”
The letter concluded with an appeal to turn a solution to the DACA crisis into an opportunity of healing the tense relationship between the two neighboring countries.
“There can be no better foundation to our partnership than that of prioritizing the resolution of the crisis of the Dreamers from Mexico who are now embedded in the American Dream. We are confident that you are aware of its urgency and will do all it takes to set them on the path to citizenship.”
