ms. rivera, another ms. velazquez coming to congress and telling us about the compelling story about the families and how their families now need to have a new legal status. so i want to help you. i want to help your family, the most important want to make sure we fix the problem that we have to we don't have to have this conversation again. thank you very much for being here today. >> the chair when i recognize the gentleman from texas, ms. jackson lee. >> let me thank the chairman, and i join with the idea that whenever we make steps towards improving lives and we are really doing the right thing. because that is the challenge and the charge we been given in this congress, to come help and fix america's problems. i want to acknowledge my appreciation for all of the witnesses, but if you want to thank in particular ms. velazquez and ms. rivera, because along with your knowledge that our personal stories that are being told. and ms. rivera, i can't thank you enough for discussing something so personal. and i

ms. rivera and ms. velasquez. ms. velasquez said that she did not think that there should be any difference between all of the 11 million people who are seeking to come here between herself and her mother, for example. but you know your parents and probably the parents of other people who have children who are not lawfully present in the united states. my question for you is these and other parents would be supportive of legislation that would allow your sister and other young people brought here at an early age to get legal status and ultimately u.s. citizenship but did not address their situation. in other words, the parents situation in the same way. >> you know, that has been such an incredibly difficult question to answer. my parents, like i'm sure any other parents, they want what is best for their children. you know, it is easy to say that yes, they would be very happy with that. but at the same time i can tell you that the pain of not having my mother with us is something that i really can't put into words. it

ms. rivera. i appreciate your testimony and that of ms. velasquez. did not think there should be any difference between all of the 11 11 million people -- between herself and her mother, for example, but you know your parents, probably the parents of other people that have children who are not lawfully present in the united youes, and my question for is when your parents and do you think other parents would be supportive of legislation that would allow your sister and other young people brought here at a young age to give legal status and ultimately u.s. citizenship, but did not address their situation -- in other words the parents situation in the same way? is an know, that incredible -- incredibly difficult question to answer. parents, like i am sure any other parents, want what is the absolute best for their children. so, you know, it is easy to say that yes, they would be happy with that, but at the same time, i can tell you that the pain of not having my mother with us is something that i really cannot put into words, and it is not something tha

ms. rivera. i appreciate your testimony and that of ms. velasquez. she said she did not think there should be any difference between all of the 11 11 million people between herself and her mother, for example, but you know your parents, probably the parents of other people that have children who are not lawfully present in the united states, and my question for you is when your parents and do you think other parents would be supportive of legislation that would allow your sister and other young people brought here at a young age to give legal status and ultimately u.s. citizenship, but did not address their situation in other words the parents situation in the same way? >> you know, that is an incredible -- incredibly difficult question to answer. you know, my parents, like i am sure any other parents, want what is the absolute best for their children. so, you know, it is easy to say that yes, they would be happy with that, but at the same time, i can tell you that the pain of not having my mother with us is something that i really cannot put into wo