HEARTBREAKING: Deported man and family have emotional exchange on ‘The View’
Jorge Garcia's gut-wrenching story inspires national conversation about America's broken immigration system
Jorge Garcia's gut-wrenching story inspires national conversation about America's broken immigration system
Jorge Garcia‘s story went viral when he was caught on video tearfully saying goodbye to his family while being deported.
Garcia has no criminal record and has lived in the United States for thirty years as an undocumented immigrant. His uncle brought him into the country when he was just ten years old, and since that time, he has built a life for himself.
However, in November, he was targeted for deportation, despite his lack of a criminal record and despite the fact that he has been trying to get legal status for the past few years.
A family torn apart
On Thursday, Garcia’s family appeared on The View to speak about their separation.
“The system failed us,” his wife, Cindy, told the co-hosts. “It’s a broken immigration system. It needs to be fixed.”
She went on to say that she and her family had been devastated over the holidays. They didn’t put up any decorations over Christmas as they faced the looming deadline for Garcia to be removed from his family and his home.
“We were grieving,” Cindy recalled.
His children, Soleil and Jorge Jr., spoke about living life without their father. While Soleil talked about moving forward, Jorge Jr. was only able to say that he was “sad, angry,” before he burst into tears, and Sunny Hostin hugged the emotional young man.
Whoopi Goldberg also spoke about the injustice of a system where Garcia “did everything you’re supposed to do” and yet was still deported.
“Nobody wants to get deported,” Goldberg said. “Folks want to become citizens. They want to. But it is very difficult.”
Asked if she had a message for the country, Cindy said that she wanted people to call on their representatives to act to save Dreamers especially.
“Separating families is not the thing to do. It takes a toll on the children, and myself and my children are American citizens,” she said.
You can watch the emotional video below.
