Hamden Resident Meets with President Obama

Press Release

Hamden resident Maria Praeli, a junior at Quinnipiac University, was one of six Dreamers who met with President Obama today in Washington, D.C., according to U.S. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-3rd District).

Praeli was brought to the United States at the age of 5 from Peru. Since then she has graduated from Gateway Community College, where she served as Student Body President, and enrolled at Quinnipiac, where she is currently a political science major.

Praeli and DeLauro have met several times, most recently at a Jan. 16 roundtable discussing President Obama’s America’s College Promise proposal. At that event, Praeli spoke about how two years of tuition-free community college would help students like herself, who struggle to afford school tuition.

“Young adults like Maria have worked hard to succeed, and should be given the same opportunities and responsibilities as their peers,” DeLauro said in a press release. “Throughout our history, immigrants have made America a stronger country and there is no better example than Maria. I support the President’s landmark decision to grant deferred action to childhood arrivals, but it is no substitute for congressional action. We have a responsibility. Congress needs to act.”

American high schools graduate approximately 65,000 students every year who were brought into this country illegally as minors.

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