Democratic Presidential Candidate Martin O’Malley Visits Austin

The Democratic candidate, who spoke out against the recent Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that blocked the DAPA program and 2014 expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals process, has pledged to make immigration system overhauls a key focus of his administration, if elected president.

Last Sunday, at a Fair Immigration Reform Movement candidates’ forum in Las Vegas, O’Malley started down the line of attack he’s most likely to pursue in Saturday night’s Democratic debate.

Former Maryland Governor and Democratic presidential hopeful Martin O’Malley honors one Austin family’s invitation to sit down to lunch and discuss the latest legal action concerning federal immigration.

“How would you feel if you came home one day and no one was there, an empty house?”

Abigail was born in the US but her parents, who graciously served O’Malley heaping mounds of Chili Lenguas, are in the country illegally.

“I live in constant fear of coming home from school and not being able to see my family, not knowing if I’m ever going to see them again”, she told O’Malley.

The former governor further took issue with Clinton’s use of the term “illegal immigrants” during a campaign stop earlier this week. The “DAPA Dinner” visit came at the invitation of the Ramirez family and Workers Defense in Action, in the hopes of sharing stories highlighting the issues facing undocumented immigrants.

“We need to find ways to bring down the cost of applying for executive protection”, he said, adding that cost relief would be part of his immigration proposals.

He said Clinton has played a “sort of cynical game, where you say one thing to one crowd and use the term ‘illegal immigrants, ‘ and then turn around to another crowd and switch your messaging and talk about ‘new Americans.’ I always say ‘new Americans, ‘ O’Malley said”.

O’Malley has become the most vocal supporter of immigration reform within the Democratic primary race, accusing both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton of “talking out of both sides of their mouths”, according to the Dallas Morning News.

It’s a stark contrast from Republicans; in particular front runner Donald Trump, who said in an MSNBC interview this week, “You’re going to have a deportation force, and you’re going to do it humanely”.

Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin is a corporate sponsor of The Texas Tribune.