"Devious Maids" actress Dania Ramirez spoke to MSNBC's Jose Díaz-Balart about her immigrant parents and the sacrifices they made for a better life. She was six months old when her parents left for the U.S. and she did not reunite with them until she was 10.
"El sueño americano de nosotros está en ustedes...Pero fue duro tener que dejarlos en el país para venir aquí solos," ("Our American dream is in you...But it was hard to leave you in our country to come here by ourselves,") said Ramirez's mom to the actress in a tearful and emotional video, "An American Alien," about their family's experiences. The video is part of Welcome.US which is celebrating Immigrant Heritage Month.
There are 41.3 million immigrants currently in the U.S., about 13 percent of the population.
“As American citizens now and as new generations of Americans it is super important to embrace the fact that America is built on immigrants, that this work ethic they instilled within us matters,” said Ramirez to Díaz-Balart. "I'm a mother now and I cannot even fathom the thought of leaving my kids even for a few days."