Two valedictorians in Texas are facing serious backlash after announcing via Twitter and a graduation speech that they are undocumented immigrants.

Senior Mayte Lara Ibarra sent out a tweet following her graduation saying “Valedictorian, 4.5GPA, full tuition paid for at UT, 13 cords/medals, nice legs, oh and I’m undocumented.”

The 17-year-old sparked major indignation following this tweet, which was retweeted more than 9,000 and 20,000 likes. The account was eventually deleted after several people demanded that she be deported and stripped of her scholarship awards.

“The reason I posted that tweet was to show others that you can accomplish anything, regardless of the obstacles you have in front of you,” Ibarra told The Austin American-Statesman. “I just wanted to show that no matter what barriers you have in front of you, you can still succeed.”

Ibarra has Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, making it completely legal for her to work and study in the US.

Another Texas senior, Larissa Martinez, revealed that she is also undocumented in her valedictorian speech. Yale-bound Martinez read the following statement to an auditorium full of people:

“I am one of the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the shadows of the United States. I decided to stand before you today and reveal these unexpected realities because this might be my only chance to convey the truth to all of you: that undocumented immigrants are people too.”

Unlike the backlash Ibarra received, Martinez’s statement was met with roaring applause.

These two girls shared their stories not only for themselves, but the millions of undocumented immigrants in the US to prove that immigrants are people, too.

Why is this important?

A certain presidential candidate whose name rhymes with grump has proposed to build a wall to keep illegal immigrants out of the US. This has sparked conversation across the country about immigration issues, and while some Latinos are seeking citizenship to vote against him, others, such as Martinez and Ibarra, are also speaking out against immigration stereotypes and stigmas.

Some popular stereotypes of immigrants are that they are criminals and uneducated. One survey found that 77 percent of people view immigration as a “problem,” and 48 percent of people would support the government seeking out and deporting illegal immigrants.

On average, immigrants contribute more in taxes than they consume in public benefits, and contributed $50 billion in federal taxes between 1996 and 2003.

UCLA's Center for Labor Research and Education's hearing and conference in 2007 reported that although undocumented students may not have access to the same resources as legal US citizens, they often do very well in school.

Martinez directly addresses these sentiments.

“America can be great again without the construction of a wall built on hatred and prejudice,” she said, according to WFAA, an NBC affiliate.

Immigrants have positively contributed to the US economy and societal growth. US businesses founded by immigrants employed approximately 560,000 workers and generated $63 billion in sales in 2012. More than one-third of US Nobel Prize winners in physiology or medicine between 1901 and 2012 were foreign-born. Additionally, 55 percent of Americans in a Public Religion Research Institute poll said they believe that immigrants strengthen the country because of their hard work and talents.

More immigrants are joining the political conversation and becoming an increasingly powerful political force by revealing their immigration status, regardless of the potential consequences.

Jose Antonio Vargas, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and immigration activist, told The New York Times that speeches like this are part of a larger effort on behalf of undocumented immigrants to be open and upfront about the situation.

He also made a point to add that these women are not taking anyone else’s spot.

“[Ibarra] is not getting special treatment,” he said. “She is getting that because she graduated as valedictorian, and that’s how it is in Texas.”

What happens now?

Despite the backlash and skepticism, there is not much that can be done to take away what the two girls have earned through their hard work and dedication to their educations.

Texas is one of 17 states that allows undocumented students who graduated from an in-state high school to receive in-state tuition at public universities.

Gary Susswein, a spokesman for the University of Texas, said that the university grants two-semester tuition waivers to all valedictorians of Texas public high schools, regardless of their residency status. He also said that state laws do not distinguish between documented and undocumented students in financial aid decisions, and the University’s policies reflect that law.

These two girls are legally allowed to be learning and should not be treated as though they’re in the wrong. Texas laws clearly state that students can attend university, whether they are documented citizens or not. We should be supporting these girls and recognizing their success, not tearing them down and threatening to deport them.

And frankly, none of us would be living in the US if it weren’t for our immigrant ancestors.

Fortunately, some supporters of the two girls have rallied around them, saying that they have worked hard to earn these scholarships.

Martinez told WFAA, “We just flew over here with luggage and a lot of dreams.” Her dreams will come true this fall as she begins her collegiate career at Yale University.

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Demand Equity

When 2 valedictorians said they were undocumented immigrants, calls for deportation followed

By Krista Watson