Watch CBS News

With Heavy Hearts, 'Dreamers' Watched Trump's First State Of The Union Address

SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) -- Several Democratic lawmakers invited Dreamers as their guests, including Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, and Senator Kamala Harris.

Many other Dreamers watched President Trump's first State of the Union address on TV.

Katiuska Pimentel, a community organizer with Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN) was at a watch party in San Jose.

Pimental, a DREAMER from Peru who came to this country when she was 13, said, "Someone like him will never know what it means to wake up being undocumented and to have to navigate education, work spaces, knowing that your future has a deadline. And my future does."

President Trump's address gave no comfort to Pimentel. She watched his speech alongside supporters at the offices of SIREN in San Jose.

It took four years for Patricia Gil to become a U.S. citizen.

Gill said, "Upset and mad because people come here for a better future, and not just a better future, we come with good values.  I came here as a kid, I still have good values."

Pimental said, "He always talks about us like we're criminals, or uses that narrative like 'oh yeah we deported all these number of MS-13 members', but he never talks about the good things we contribute to this economy and this society."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.