A pint-size activist who fought for immigration reform joined her family on Thanksgiving as they celebrated President Obama's unprecedented executive action meant to shield millions of immigrants from the threat of deportation.
"I think it means to all the people, like, who are the parents of children who were born here, I think they must be like really happy today," fifth grader Jersey Vargas said. "Today they live without fear, like they can go outside without getting scared that they can be deported."
Jersey was born in the US, but her parents were not. Community members helped her travel to Rome to get a message directly to Pope Francis in March.
"He looked me in the eyes like he knew what he was going to have to do," she said.
Jersey returned from Rome to find her dad at LAX released from an immigration hold.
And last week, President Obama announced his executive order, taking the fear of family separation for millions away.
But Jersey and her family know while the battle may have ended, but the war rages on. Jersey's mother Lola Vargas said she hopes God speaks to Congress for continued reform.
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"To me, I'm only happy because I'm representing millions of people because ... they're scared and they can't talk for themselves," Jersey said. "But I feel like very proud and happy because I'm representing them."
