‘Orange Is The New Black’ Actress Breaks Down Talking About Family’s Deportation [Video]
Orange is the New Black actress Diane Guerrero appears on a show that deals with socioeconomic and race issues head on in the prison system. Now the 28-year-old is opening up about her own personal story that she’s had to endure due to her mother, father, and brother getting deported when she was only 14-years-old.
Prior to her conversation with CNN host Michaela Pereira, Guerrero wrote a controversial op-ed for the Los Angeles Times that fueled an on-going debate about the immigration reform.
In the essay, the Orange is the New Black star writes about growing up without her parents.
“Throughout my childhood I watched my parents try to become legal but to no avail. They lost their money to people they believed to be attorneys, but who ultimately never helped. That meant my childhood was haunted by the fear that they would be deported. If I didn’t see anyone when I walked in the door after school, I panicked.”
She described the scene as she realized that her fear had turned into a reality.
“I came home from school to an empty house. Lights were on and dinner had been started, but my family wasn’t there. Neighbors broke the news that my parents had been taken away by immigration officers, and just like that, my stable family life was over.”
Speaking on CNN, the actress broke down in tears as she retold a brief version of the story. Fourteen years growing up without her parents, and the actress admits that at times she feels like she doesn’t know her family, who now reside in Colombia.
“It’s tough, it’s like we’ve been separated for so long, I feel like sometimes we don’t know each other. It’s difficult because I’ve grown up without them, and there’s things about them that are new that I don’t recognize, and it just — it hurts.”
Guerrero continued to speak about the difficulty of having her family ripped away from her.
“I just hate that they have gone through this. And I know I’ve been by myself, but I feel like they have lived a very lonely existence.”
After taking a moment the actress continued, noting why this conversation is so important. CNN’s Pereira asked what she would do if President Obama is not successful. Guerrero said that she will continue to tell her story.
“I think people don’t want to see families separated. I don’t think people just want to deport everyone, and that’s the solution. That’s not a solution. What about me?'”
