Texas teens wade into immigration controversy
AUSTIN — Two Texas teens are in the news this week because both said they are undocumented immigrants.
One said it in a tweet, the other during her valedictorian speech.
On Friday, Mayte Lara Ibarra, the valedictorian at David Crockett High School in Austin posted a photo of herself in her graduation cap saying, "Valedictorian, 4.5 GPA, full tuition paid for at UT, 13 cords/medals, nice legs, oh and I'm undocumented."
The post went viral in a matter of minutes with more than 9,000 retweets and nearly 19,000 likes. Reaction was mixed, with some people excited and others angry about an undocumented immigrant receiving a full scholarship to the University of Texas.
Ibarra declined to be interviewed on camera but did speak to KVUE-TV, Austin, on the phone Wednesday. She stated it is a misunderstanding, she is not undocumented, and she never wanted to make a mockery of undocumented students.
According to the Pew Research Center, there were 11.3 million undocumented immigrants in the United States in 2014.
Ibarra's friend Melanie Romero said it's upsetting to see how many people are so against Ibarra.
"She worked hard to get to where she is now. I just don't understand it," said Romero.
Edlisa Lopez with University Leadership Initiative at University of Texas-Austin, a program that works with undocumented students, worries about the consequences Ibarra's tweet could have.
"I do hope that she is not lying about her status because being undocumented is not easy, it's not something that you can play with," said Lopez.
Undocumented students are protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program. In 2001, Texas lawmakers passed the DREAM Act which allows certain immigrants to receive in-state tuition if they meet requirements.
In a statement, University of Texas officials said:
"In accordance with state law, Texas universities — including the University of Texas schools — have for decades granted two-semester tuition waivers to valedictorians of Texas public high schools, without regard to their residency status. State law also does not distinguish between documented and undocumented graduates of Texas high schools in admissions and financial aid decisions. University policies reflect that law."
Meanwhile in McKinney, Texas, Larissa Martinez decided it was time to tell her fellow classmates her story.
She said before her speech, only 10 people at school knew her immigration status.
"We just flew over here with luggage and a lot of dreams," she said.
The family left Mexico City in 2010. Deyanira Contreras, Larissa's mother, said she left an abusive and alcoholic husband. Her girls, she said, were young when they arrived in the States. They arrived on a tourist visa and came over by plane.
The family submitted an application for citizenship almost seven years ago. They are still waiting for it to be processed.
Larissa's graduation speech was certainly not textbook and it also was not a feel-good speech, but it was real.
The graduate from McKinney Boyd High School posed a challenge to presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Without mentioning his name, she alludes to his views on undocumented immigrants.
"America can be great again without the construction of a wall built on hatred and prejudice," she said.
Larissa has a full scholarship to Yale. She is hoping to enter the pre-med program and ultimately become a neurosurgeon.
In Austin, Ibarra deleted her Twitter account since sending out the tweet saying she was undocumented.
"She just wants it all to stop," Romero said. "She just wants all the talking back, all the sharing, all the posting about it to stop."
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