tavis: good evening. from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. tonight a conversation with luis gutierrez. he has just published a candid new memoir called "still dreaming." then jeanne tripplehorn. she is currently starring in "criminal minds." we are glad you joined us. those conversations are coming up now.

>> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> he is the son of were to reagan parents. rican written -- puerto parents. he has written a memoir called "still dreaming."

good to have you on this program. what do you make of what is happening a few miles down the road in d.c.? >> i went to congress to expand .pportunities our goal is to make sure everyone has access to wha everything. i'm not going to let them use the budget to stop people in my community from having what they

have in congress. tavis: it appears john weiner has done his heels in even more adamantly. how much worse is it going to get? >> i think it's going to get worse before it gets better. of the most bitter .gliness in the united states if you see us in the gym getting ready to go to work in the morning, if you see us at lunch together, it is night and day. so many people want to put this behind us. let's hope the leadership can take us there. the battle,in for and i think k'm in for a battle a right.e as democrats, one republican for the affordable care

act, and we didn't take them out. they took them out. they have never wanted to expand health care for americans. this fight is about making sure government is on your side, and i think it is important we keep this fight. party thatt this the always talks aboututespect for the law? it is law of the land. the supreme court has upheld it. what happened to the notion of at least respect and the rule of law in america? they have a new philosophy, and that is that the small group of people can impose their ideological bent on what the united states. the house and senate passed it. the supreme court said it was constitutional. they thought they were going to win. they lost. there was a referendum. the rock obama got 5 million more votes than mitt romney. got 5 milliona

more votes than mitt romney. people knew what they were doing. the one who gets the most votes is the winner. if they would allow a vote on a toan continuing resolution fund our government for the next few weeks, let me tell you what happens. than 200 18 million people vote. they stop democracy from flourishing by not allowing members to vote their will. i think the timing of the release of your memoir is proficient is, specifically because one thing that troubles is that these members of congress are wealthier than the average american. many experiences members of congress don't have that ends up impacting how they vote or don't vote.

been poor youver don't understand how this shutdown is impacting poor people. say more about how the back make impacts decisions you every day were poor people or disenfranchised citizens are concerned. dad came to this city 60 years ago. the city of new york. they didn't have a coat. they didn't understand the language. it was a hostile environment. it said,en the paper, puerto ricans are coming from that island bringing disease. a are bringing crime. they are coming here to get on welfare. all these negative things. . my momrove a cab worked in the factory. they were my first role models. i saw them strugggg. i grew up in the city of chicago. i was born there. i may have lived north of the mason-dixon line, but i lived in

a segregated city where blacks lived in one part, latinos lived in another part, and whites lived in another. there were not any signs that say not to go to the swimming pool, but we knew better. we knew not to go to those beaches. that is the experience i had. you know why you and are having this conversation today? went to clege. i was happy. i married my wife of 35 years. we had our first daughter. we bought our first home. refurbished. then in chicago in 1983 a black man had the audacity to run and actually win the democratic primary, harold washington. what brings me to where i am today? with my sixpack of beer and game of dominoes and going to baptisms, and all that is good, but when i saw the powerful

chairman of the ways and means committee, a member of the democratic caucus and all the white democrats say, not if it is a black man. i am kind of happy it happened because we are having this conversation. that transformed my life. i couldn't say it's ok to talk bad.ay racism is i had to confront the reality that i had to do something. .t changed my life >> you are still serving honorably in congress, yet persons like your parents who , who now with nothing rely on you to be their voice in congress a aot having their say. you and i have had this conversation a number of times, and i have asked you repeatedly,

tell me why you believe in the obama era something is going to get done on immigration reform. we keep asking what it's going to take to get something on gun control rough form. no matter how many shootings there are nothing has happened on gun control. i am telling you i am still looking for what that opening is going to be to get people to take immigration reform seriously. >> we went to see the president in january of this year. bob menendez -- the three of us were working hard. bob menendez got it across the finish line. we sat there and thought, what should we do? don't introduce the bill. go to las vegas.

don't use it as a bully pulpit but as a spotlight. are you kidding? you have the the living daylights out of me saying i have not done enough for four years. subtleen't been too about your complaints either. you know deportations are not subtle. they break up and destroy families, but i have to give him credit. he was instrumental. he took our advice. he has worked quietly behind the scenes to make it happened because he understands it is a careful crafting of republicans and democrats. i have had my issue on immigration, but if barack obama were to offer sunlight in the

middle of the darkening e clips there are 200 republicans who would say they would rather live in dark this then allow barack then to in darkness allow barack obama to have a triumph. inis: i am trying to see how this moment before he leaves office, what is the path forward to getting immigration reform done? you and i both know it ain't going to happen this year. the debt issues like ceiling, nothing can happen while the government is shut down. now you push it to next year. i don't see how anything bumping because you are up against midterm elections and now the guy is a lame duck. i want this to happen. just tell me how it is going to happen. >> today 2000 latinos turned 18. asians, hispanics, african- americans, overwhelmingly for

barack obama. that's not going to change until they do something about our broken immigration system, and what do we know? turn 1856,000 latinos every month. 2 million more hispanics voted in 2012. you saw the resounding results. you remember of election night everyone woke up and said, there are millions of them and voting, and barack and everyone is giving them credit for the next election for president of the united states? we know this is an ongoing struggle, and it had a culmination. the ugliness of the immigration political fostered activity in our community. let me go back to washington. racism he had to

confront, it gave me no choice but respond or to basically be a liar to myself. 1980ad to make a choice in three in chicago. latinos are making decisions. asians are making decisions. i think this president can do a lot more. i have been out there in the white house. we are going to come up against 2 million more deportations since he got elected. the republicans have to give us vote. what is the positive? once barack obama freed the dreamers and said, i am going to act executive lee, and 500,000 of them no longer have to bear deportation. took that on like change, won his reelection, and now he wants to champion the cause and get the bill signed, but here is what else he did.

he fostered a movement of people who are not going to take no. tomorrow you are going to see thousandsthe ball on the steps of the capitol. -- thousands of people on the steps of the capital. it is people who move the democrats to pass the civil rights act, t a nch of all editions in washington. it was people. they didn't stop protesting. say, -- stop saying, i will be respected, and today we are passing through a movement much like african- american movement, much like women, what's like the lgbt community. that's why i believe it's going to happen. you cannot stop justice. >> the memoir written by congressman luis gutierrez. he is the voice for 20 years and immigration real

reform. as always, a delight to have you on this program. coming up, actress jeanne tripplehorn. stay with us. jeanne tripplehorn has made her mark costarring in movement but -- movies with michael douglas and tom cruise and the award- winning series "big love" and "criminal minds." is latest movie "mad men" directed and cowritten by her husband. >> i don't believe in coincidences, so i can't help thinking for some reason our paths keep crossing. somehow you are supposed to be here.

and i'm supposed to be here. somehow, we've managed to find each other. >> how could you ever help me? >> you tell me. i was teasing jeanne this movie had its premiere -- it opened in new york and tulsa. it opened in tulsa because -- >> thah's where i was born and

raised. he said, how are we going to see this movie? he knew it was going to be independent. he kept his word. how was the world premiere? >> great. it was like getting married all over again. of people seen a lot in a long time. that youd i understand slept separately? >> yes, i think it was really we didn't want to talk about the movie at home. we wanted to keep it separate. he was direct and. we were wearing two different

hats. it made sense to keep it separate. it was only three weeks. that's a long time to be away from you. >> inc. you. -- thank you. tavis: what is it like when you are starring in a project that is writttt and did by your husband? >> it was really good. it was really comforting. we were driving home oneight, and i said, you are starting to get cold feet, and he said, i am concerned we aren't going to be able to do this, and he didn't want any tension. going to be fine. it helps when you respect your director. it just so happens he was my husband. his script was stellar. beautifulerfect, script. i knew he knew what i wanted.

would be no tension, because all any actor wants from a director is to steer that ship to lead them, and i knew he knew what he wanted, so it was easy. cast onou are part of a the tv show that goes to some dark places, but this is the .arkest of places this is the darkest of places when a parent loses a child. how do you getetnto the mental required to play a parent losing a child? you have a child. >> i have one son, and i was never going to poll for my own life, as a lot of times you do as an actor. i just didn't do that on this one, and i really both this character -- built this character from the ground up.

i made her own history. i made her own memories to pull from. it felt like a gamble, because i think half of act inc. is relaxation and confidence. -- half of acting is relaxation and confidence. i thought, i don't know if this is going to be a three- dimensional character because i am not bringing myself. there is nothing familiar for me. this is an indie film. do you appreciate the opportunity to do indie stuff? >> i do, more than ever. >> a are short shoots but not a lot of money. >> i am really lucky, because i ." on "criminal minds it is a nice balance. bills.it pays the >> and it is really close to

home. i don't have to leave home. of was agileis out is. -- los angeles. i wish that would change. i wish we could all stay here. toronto and vancouver has everything. >> i like those cities, but we should be working more here. tavis: what do you make of that? l.a. used to be a town where everything was shot. why do toronto and vancouver have everything? >> it not just canada. ew years they are offering incentives. new mexico. you hear a lot of new mexico and louisiana. tavis: is l.a. not being competitive enough? >> i think so. have a job where i

am 10 minutes away from my son's school. tavis: i was mentioning because it is one of my favorite films. does it feel like 20 years since "the second thing." -- basic instinct." >> it feels like 75 years. tavis: how am i supposed to read that? >> it feels like a long time ago. far,ar wars in a galaxy far away. tavis: have you seen it recently? >> i have not. i figure if anyone recognizes me from that it is good. it was so long ago. i see you all the time in it. i recognize you. you have got some distance in the rearview mirror. you mentioned "big love."

is there some stuff you look back on now that you are extremely proud of? you think, i am so glad i did that? at your modesty aside for second. >> there are a lot. i am really proud of "big love your co--- the love." i was proud of "the sick instinct -- "basic instinct," firm," they are also different. even "waterworld." just the experience of getting physically through that movie, you have to for follow your dream and your heart always, and it's not going to be status quo, and not everyone is going to agree with you. this movie i did wititland, it was a real labor of love. it was his first movie. he didn't go to film school.

this was his learning project. met obstacles at every step of the way, and the fact that it premiere in tulsa, oklahoma, it's huge. couldn't be done. he said, i believe in the story, and now it is out in the world. >> leland would be her husband, who wrote and directed this thing, and the movie she is talking about is called "mad ."n" --"morning" a good cast. >> elliott gould, jason ritter, julie white, it just goes on and on. he was mixing the sound, and the woman running the sound department there says, i have never seen so many talented

people in front of and behind the camera come together for a script because they believe in it. he wrote such an incredible you build it it will come kind of moment, and it shows. tavis: it's a good movie, and leland survived the a kick out of the bedroom for 20 days. -- 21 days. that is our show for tonight. we will see you tomorrow. inc. for watching, and as always, keep the faith. >> for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley at pbs.org. tavis: hi, i'm tavis smiley. join me next time for a conversation with jessica lange about the new season of "american horrors

ven.": co that's next time. we will see you then. ♪ >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> be more. pbs.