LOCAL DREAMER CHALLENGES TRUMP
crats, Latinos and the 11 million undocumented immigrants who are an integral part of this country and who embody the values and the promise of America.”
Instead of mass deportations, Silva called on Trump to focus on creating jobs and growing the economy, and “instead of separating families.”
Silva, who has long advocated on behalf of immigrants in Nevada, attended the speech as a guest of U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.
“Thousands just like Astrid who were brought to this country as children have inspired policies to fix it,” Cortez Masto said. “I will continue to fight alongside Astrid to protect hardworking families from nefarious attacks that threaten to separate them and to pass comprehensive immigration reform once and for all.”
In her response to Trump’s speech, Silva also touched on the importance of improving, not scrapping, the Affordable Care Act and continuing to fund Planned Parenthood. She questioned the selection of Betsy DeVos as education secretary and urged Supreme Court Nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch to be an “independent judge who won’t owe himself to this administration.”
Silva has benefited from former President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which provides undocumented students and military personnel with work permits and deferred deportation.
Silva co-founded DREAM Big Vegas, an organization that raises awareness about the importance of educating undocumented youth. She is a former organizing director for PLAN Action, the political arm of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, and a 2016 graduate of Nevada State College, where she received its Humanitarian Award.
In 2016, Silva spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, telling delegates about her family’s journey to the United States, how they “risked everything for the American dream,” and how a Trump administration would rip immigrant families apart. Contact Lucy Hood at lhood@reviewjournal.com or 702 387-2904. Follow @lucyahood on Twitter.