Child who confronted first lady on immigration is icon

LIMA, Peru (AP) - A slip of the tongue from an excited seven-year-old girl has caused some anxious moments for a Maryland family originally from Peru...

TheGrio Staff

Jun 1, 2010

LIMA, Peru (AP) — A slip of the tongue from an excited seven-year-old girl has caused some anxious moments for a Maryland family originally from Peru.

When First Lady Michelle Obama visited Daisy Cuevas’ school earlier this month, the girl told the first lady that her mother “doesn’t have papers.” Daisy is a citizen because she was born in the U.S.

The girl’s maternal grandfather in Peru says Daisy was excited to be on TV with the first lady, and didn’t realize the trouble she may have caused.

WATCH MSNBC COVERAGE OF THE QUESTION MICHELLE OBAMA RECEIVED:
[MSNBCMSN video=”http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640″ w=”592″ h=”346″ launch_id=”37237437″ id=”msnbc760494″]

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

But her mother did. The color immediately drained from her face when she heard what her daughter said, and she ran crying to call her parents in Lima. She then went into hiding, fearful of being deported.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has said it is not pursuing Daisy’s parents.

Peruvian President Alan Garcia said last week he was proud that the young girl highlighted what Garcia calls “the enormous problem with Latin American immigration in the United States.”

SHARE THIS ARTICLE