It does not occur very frequently that a mistranslation lights up the political internet, but for Rep. Delia Ramirez, a few Spanish terms at an international event were the catalyst for a full-blown right-wing outrage machine. The Illinois congresswoman, a vociferous progressive and Congressional Hispanic Caucus member, is the center of a storm that says as much about America’s culture wars as it does about her own life.
1. The Speech That Ignited a Firestorm
At the Pan-American Congress in Mexico City, Ramirez began her remarks speaking English before switching to Spanish, stating she was “very proudly Guatemalan” and saying, “Primero que soy americana.” The phrase translates to approximately “First, I am American,” but a right-wing publication warped it into “I’m a proud Guatemalan before an American.” That distortion spread on social media, promoted by the likes of Sen.
Mike Lee and Rep. Andy Ogles, and even the official Department of Homeland Security account, which posted a Theodore Roosevelt quote about rejecting “hyphenated Americanism.” Ramirez called them out, condemning the backlash as “a weak effort to silence my opposition and discredit my patriotic criticism of the nativist, white supremacist, authoritarians in power.”
2. An Immigration-SHAPED Life
Ramirez’s political alignment is proximate to her family’s own immigration past. Growing up in Chicago by illegal Guatemalan immigrants, she constantly re-lives the experience of the night her mother crossed the Rio Grande illegally while pregnant with Ramirez, where she nearly drowned. Her husband, Boris Hernandez, is a DACA beneficiary from the same Guatemalan town that both her parents are from. His background and the current legal uncertainty for DACA inspires her activism. “I’m going to be fighting to keep my husband here,” she has said, and I’m a member of Congress. What happens to the other 2 million who have no pathway?
3. The Stakes for DACA Families
The uncertainty of DACA is greater than a political catchphrase it’s a lived reality for half a million. Statistics indicate that almost 92 percent of the recipients work, with median hourly wages rising from $11.88 before DACA to $33.55 in 2024. They’ve bought homes, started businesses, and begun families. If the program eliminates without legislative relief, the economic and emotional toll will be devastating, especially for mixed-status families like Ramirez’s.
4. Progressive Faith in Action Ramirez’s
politics are also shaped by her experience at Humboldt Park United Methodist Church, to which she has referred as “a beacon for me, a fortress.” As a progressive Christian, she is part of a faith tradition that, like Texas Rep. James Talarico’s seminary-based politics, uses scripture to argue for justice and inclusion.
“Being Christian is a way of living, a way of treating other people, and the way we let the light of God shine through in our actions,” she has said.
5. Legislative Fights and Brazen Stances
In Congress, Ramirez has the Squad’s left flank covered, co-sponsoring the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and taxing the rich. She’s introduced bills like the Born in the USA Act to stave off any move to end birthright citizenship and the Block the Bombs Act to block offensive arms sales to Israel until the Gaza conflict is resolved.
On the Homeland Security Committee, she’s grilled Secretary Kristi Noem about civil rights violations, saying, “It’s about damn time that person resigns.”
6. The Broader CHC Context
Ramirez is one of 43 members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, a group that encompasses Squad progressives and centrist Democrats alike. The CHC strives to shape immigration policy, advocate for Latino communities, and amplify voices normally silenced in national debate. Her presence underscores the caucus’s diversity not just ethnically, but ideologically and stylistically.
7. Resilience Amid Political Hostility
The attacks on Ramirez reflect a broader pattern of aggressions against women of color in Congress, especially those who refuse to back away from powerful forces. Her refusal to be intimidated on immigration rights, humanitarian crises, or the politicization of faith testifies to a toughness that resonates with constituents. She’s been described by people who knew her in Chicago as someone who invites the excluded into her home and fights hard on behalf of the vulnerable.
8. Why This Moment Matters
The indignation over a mistranslated sentence is not just a media storm it’s an entrance onto the danger of representation, the fragility of immigrant protections, and the tension between exclusionary nationalism and inclusive patriotism. Ramirez’s life rooted in survival, faith, and service takes the counter-narrative of fear-mongering. As she explained, “Honoring my Guatemalan heritage only deepens my love for America.” To liberal-spirited readers, her journey is a reminder that the fight for justice is frequently an intimate one, that faith can be a power for liberty, and that in the halls of Congress, her kind of voice is rare and necessary.
