Delia C. Ramírez is one of the 14 delegates of Latino origin who came to Congress in the last legislative elections, and the first Latina to be elected in the state of Illinois and the entire Midwest. With a career lined to social services, she is recognized in politics for her commitment to defending working families. In her native Illinois, she has become an example in the fight for equality and justice.

The story of Delia and her family is that of many of the immigrants who come to the United States in search of a better future. Pregnant, her mother almost died while crossing the Rio Grande to enter the United States. Today, almost 40 years later, Democrat Ramírez seems touched as she remembers the odyssey at the same time she looks at the Capitol dome from her office.

There is a lot of talk about the need for immigration reform, but it never comes. What must happen for that to take place?

The reality is that since 1986 nothing has been done. I was three years old at that time, and my parents are citizens thanks to the amnesty of ‘86. What we have to do in this Congress is to have a leader of the House of Representatives. When we talk about migration and immigration reform, there are many sections. First of all, what is related to economic difficulties. The cost of things continues to rise because there is a lack of employees and product supply. It's estimated that there are 9 million jobs to be filled. A lot can be done through the president, with just one signature the work permit can be extended to 11 million people.

"Los inmigrantes siguen llegando y la lucha no termina porque los retos todavía son monumentales"

Immigrants don't care how, for them it's work permit. I tell you a specific case, that of my uncle, who has been writing to me for a week to see if I can do something from my place. He's going to turn 70 and he is afraid, because he has been working here for almost 40 years. At some point he had papers, but now he needs a lawyer to take his case and I can't answer him anything, because I don't know what to say. He calls me: "Delia, I am really scared because I want to retire and if Donald Trump becomes president, they're going to deport me, help me." This is very personal.

LPOJulián Ortiz

How do you work with the urgency this requires?

We have to be creative and find possible ways to help the people who are here. It doesn't matter if it's law or executive action, people want to be able to be here legally without the fear of being deported, they want to have their family together or be able to travel to see a family member who is dying in their country and not have. They fear of not being able to return. That can be done with executive action by the president right now. The president has the ability and the responsibility to do something. They are going to tell us that they are going to sue us, but how many times has Trump been sued and he is still at home.

The cost of things continues to rise because there is a lack of employees and product supply. It is estimated that there are 9 million jobs to be filled.

What can be done today from a concrete point of view?

Firstly, access to voting could be expanded legislatively. Second, by an executive action, work permits could be extended to more people. Those who do not have a criminal record should access a work permit. In the third place, right now there are many people entering Chicago or New York desperately looking for a job and shelter. Sanctuary cities should receive sufficient financial resources to provide sanctuary. What is happening today is that there are cities or states that benefit with a lot of money, they traffic people in buses and leave them on the streets. I also request the President and the Secretary of Security Alejandro Mayorkas that we have enough resources and 100% reimbursements for cities like Chicago, that really want to help immigrants because they understand that without immigrants our economy will collapse.

LPOJulián Ortiz

It seems that this would not only benefit immigrants. How do the American people take this?

Yesterday someone asked me: "Delia, what are people most worried about for the 2024 elections?." The economy, I replied. People are still frustrated. Gasoline is expensive, milk is still expensive, rent has doubled, people cannot buy a house and they continue to work more and more. If you want to see the economy improve, give work permits so that there are more workers who can generate more money with taxes. That way we can lower costs, because the more product, the less the cost. Economy and migration, those are the two topics.

"El gran problema que tenemos hoy es el déficit y la población latina se ve afectada por el recorte del presupuesto" 

How are they linked in practice?

Immigrants in the state of Illinois contribute 20.2 billion annually to taxes, only those who can report. Those under the table are not included. Imagine: if 8 million people were in the regular tax, how much would that contribute the economy? We give more than we receive and I think that is the other thing. I am on a National Security Committee and every day I hear "border, border, border." They say that immigrants are taking away jobs, that they are bringing drugs, that they are an invasion, a plague, as if they were cockroaches; but without immigrants, the economy would be paralyzed and the stock market would fall. I think there will come a time when people understand that the only way for this economy to improve is by ensuring that immigrants have access to work and permission to be in the country.

I request the President that we have enough resources and up to 100% reimbursements for cities like Chicago, that really want to help the immigrants because they understand that without immigrants our economy will collapse.

In this context of elections, the Latino vote appears again: the so-called sleeping giant. Do you think the Latino vote can influence next year's elections?

I think so, and it may be even more key if the Latino community sees that there is a party, a leader, who is doing everything possible to represent them. The reality is that neither the Republican nor the Democrat have done anything about immigration, none of them. And although perhaps by congressional law the Democrat cannot pass the laws he wants, our President can do what other presidents have not done. A permit for everyone, work for everyone, it would be more than what was done in 37 years. It would be a revolution. Because the immigrant's son is going to see that his father, for the first time, will be able to have a promotion without the fear that he will be reported to immigration. The father, the mother, the aunt will be able to say: "He was the one who made it possible for me to have one job instead of two." Latin people are tired of being promised the world and done nothing. Latin people are tired of seeing corruption in their countries, what is happening around the world, and here they don't see the movement, they see the corruption of a former president who no matter what he does, he still does not go to jail. And he can be president again!

I am the first Latina elected from the Midwest. It's 2023 and we are not yet in the leadership positions. It is assumed that the only thing that matters to Latinos is migration. It's very important, yes, but it's not the only thing. We care about education, economy, health, social interactions, being able to travel, art. But they classify us and then nothing is done. It's going to be very important for our president to show action like we have never seen before, courage like we have never seen and say: I am going to support the immigrant, who is more than a Latino, and I am going to help and emphasize the importance of the economy like no other has done.

People are still frustrated. Gasoline is expensive, milk is still expensive, rent has doubled, they can't buy a house and they continue to work more and more. If you want to see the economy improve, give work permits so that more workers can generate money with taxes.

In this context, the wall is back in the agenda...

The other thing we have to talk about is why people are coming here, and the relationship with the countries in the region. People emigrate to the United States because they see the benefits. In this context, we have to ensure that we are working with countries to provide stability, to combat corruption and not to contribute to the conflict that already exists there. A meeting every six months is not enough, we have to get to the root. When sanctions were lifted in Venezuela, we saw the numbers grow. The same in Cuba. We have to recognize that sometimes we have responsibility and impact on the countries that are emigrating.

I can't believe a mother leaves her house to cross an entire country, a jungle, risking rape, hunger and death, if it weren't for the fact that she doesn't feel that there is another opportunity for her children to have a better life than hers. I can't believe it. What is it that people just get up and want to come here? For me it's very important that we understand the reasons for emigrating to this country. Our economy depends on the immigrant. There has always been migration in the world, but we have let the message be negative instead of positive. There is enough land in this country, work and opportunities for all of us to keep on going.

LPOJulián Ortiz

Do Latino leaders within Congress work together with the same agenda?

There has been an increase in the number of people in Congress and members of the Hispanic Caucus who are trying to work closer. I think it's very easy to say that the immigration situation is only an issue of the Hispanic Caucus. It should be everyone's issue. But here's a rule that says it has to be Caucus only. So, if we don't get things approved, they are going to start blaming us.

"Tenemos que cambiar el sistema desde Washington porque si no los latinos van a seguir perjudicados"

I think there is an intention at this moment to try to be more united than ever. In all their speeches, the Republicans talk about aliens. That's what they call an illegal immigrant. They do it so they can take away our humanity, that's why they say it the way they say it. I am on the committee and I keep a record, I write down every time I hear a word like that, in 40 minutes you can write them down 100 times.

Everyone is blaming us that all the problems in this country are because of the immigrant, and I would say the opposite. Everything good there is in this country is because of the immigrant. So,my fear is that some of my colleagues who have heard that so many times will begin to say, feel or believe in what they are hearing instead of remaining persistent in advocating for immigration reform and advocating for the humanity of all.

I can't believe that a mother leaves her house to cross an entire country, a jungle, risking rape, hunger and death, if it weren't for the fact that she doesn't feel like there is another opportunity for her children to have a better life than hers.

You have just presented a bill that has to do with housing, an issue to which you paid special attention as an official. What is it about and why is it important now?

When we talk about the economy, when we talk about how people are doing, housing is among the three most important things. People are paying almost 50% of their income on housing. More and more people cannot pay their rent or mortgage. We are seeing workers organizing throughout the country. Tenants often feel very alone. Many companies hire lawyers and fire them easily. If you have government assistance, they think they can do whatever they want with you. That's why my bill will allow tenants to organize. That they can work together to be able to demand better housing conditions.

The other very important thing is that, in a family in which the father or mother is undocumented, the children cannot have protection. This bill will provide these protections to families who are in that situation, or immigrants who cannot receive public housing assistance. They will also be able to organize themselves without fear of action being taken. Preventing housing loss is incredible important right now, as it is having quality housing. No one should live in the horrific situations we are seeing in this country. Something very important is that in the families' rental contract people can appear who do not have papers but their children yes. It will help the community to organize and demand decent housing.

LPOJulián Ortiz

Delia, what happens to you when you look out the window and see the Capitol?

I feel immense gratitude and an even greater responsibility. This place was not designed for us, and in 2023 we have reached many places we were not 30 years ago. But to think that a woman's daughter with a third grade education, who almost died crossing the Rio Grande, became a congresswoman representing a million people, for me it's unimaginable and also a responsibility.

Most of the people in Congress do not represent the population. They are millionaires, they come with a lot of privilege, children of congressmen, nephews of senators, they don't know what it is to live paycheck to paycheck.

How to have courage, how to not leave this place, how to make sure that I always feel like crying and not become the same kind of people who have represented us and forget where they come from. That's why I always have a map of the state of Illinois with a little heart in Chicago that says: "Never forget where you come from." Because here it's easy to forget. Most of the people in my place do not represent the population of the country. They are millionaires, they come with a lot of privilege, children of congressmen, nephews of senators, they don't know what it is to live paycheck to paycheck.

This place wasn't designed for us, but we represent more people in this country than most of them. I will always remember it. I am here because 157 thousand people voted for me to represent them. Also remember that there are many people watching what I am doing, maybe I don't know them, maybe they have never written to me, but what we do here has a great impact, both to create and destroy.