The 87th Academy Awards ceremony took place on February 22, 2015 in Los Angeles. The Oscars is the biggest annual award show and this year’s ceremony honored the best films of 2014.
The Oscar for best picture was awarded to the Mexican filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu for his film “Birdman”. Birdman did not only receive an Oscar for best picture but also for best director, best original screenplay and best cinematography. González Iñárritu is the second Latino director to win an Oscar. He is an acclaimed film director, composer and a producer. Having received some Academy Award nominations earlier, he has now won three awards.
González Iñárritu used his speech to push immigration reform. He said that he wanted to dedicate the award to his fellow Mexicans. He said that he prays that a government that he and the other Mexicans deserve must be found and built. González Iñárritu added that Mexicans who are living in the country and are a part of the latest generation of immigrants deserve to be treated with the same respect as those who came to the country before and built the nation.
Americans cite immigration as the country’s top issue. Many in the country are eagerly waiting for the lawmakers to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill that would legalize those living here without legal status.
Since the U.S. Congress failed to pass such a bill, President Obama announced a set of immigration rules in November 2014. Under his immigration plan, undocumented youth and undocumented parents of green card holders and U.S. citizens will be granted temporary immigration status in the country under the two programs, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) respectively.
However, expansion of the DACA program under the President’s executive action that was set to go into effect on February 18, 2015 was put on hold after Texas judge Andrew Hanen issued an injunction to halt the program. U.S. Justice Department has requested an emergency stay to hold the judge’s decision and the White House also wants the court to lift the injunction.
For updates on immigration reform and on the President’s executive actions on immigration, keep track of our immigration blog section.