SMU group honors Sarah Saldaña as distinguished Hispanic alumna
Sarah Saldaña was selected as this year’s distinguished Hispanic alumna.
By Mercedes Olivera
It was a touching moment for Sarah Saldaña, director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as she picked up an award at Southern Methodist University from the Hispanic alumni group this week.
 Sarah Saldaña |
She was selected as this year’s distinguished Hispanic alumna. The 63-year-old Dedman School of Law graduate was grateful, she told a packed room in the SMU Meadows Museum at the Thursday luncheon.
Her story was their story — one of hard work and a large family. She had four older brothers who were all Golden Gloves boxers. Her hard-working mother struggled to make ends meet as a nurse on a $13,000 annual salary.
And she talked about the difficult path she traveled from her humble origins in Corpus Christi to her post as head of an agency constantly under scrutiny from both supporters and opponents of immigration reform.
“It’s a difficult time in our country,” she concluded. “Whatever you want to do to bring your own rational voices, starting in our backyard, in our community, I would greatly appreciate your help.”
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