Clinton Campaign Outreach Director Lorella Praeli Becomes Naturalized Citizen
Lorella Praeli, a staffer for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign who was brought to the U.S. as a child, is set to become a U.S. citizen.
During an immigration address at the National Immigrant Integration Conference (NIIC) in Brooklyn on Monday, Clinton acknowledged Lorella will travel to Washington, D.C. for the naturalization ceremony.
President Barack Obama was also scheduled to speak at the citizenship ceremony where Praeli and 30 others would pledge allegiance to the country. The people participating in the ceremony represent 25 different countries, including Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Germany, Ireland and Honduras, said Shin Inouye, a spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Before Praeli was hired as Clinton's Latino outreach director in June, she worked as the Director of Advocacy and Policy for United We Dream, which advocates for immigrant rights and citizenship for undocumented residents in the U.S. The immigrant youth group also played a crucial role in pushing the Obama administration to grant deportation protection to include the parents of citizens and legal permanent residents.
Originally from Peru, Praeli lived in the country without legal status for almost 13 years before she became a legal permanent resident in 2012 after marrying a U.S. citizen. Her mother, Chela, however, still lives in the country illegally. They came to the States when Praeli was a child to seek medical treatment.
After becoming a citizen, Praeli will be allowed to vote in the 2016 race and participate in an U.S. election for the very first time. That means that she could help elect the first female president.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Praeli learned how to be a fighter after she was hit by a drunk driver in Peru at the age of 2. As a result, doctors amputated her right leg just above the knee and she was forced to walk with a prosthetic leg. While learning how to walk with a prosthetic leg was difficult, she says that her father pushed her to get up on her own every time she fell, which showed her how to be persistent and courageous.
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