Wilmer Valderrama: Obama immigration action a ‘fantastic first step’

Actor Wilmer Valderrama says he’s been saddened by the lack of movement on immigration reform, but that President Obama took a “fantastic first step” with his executive action announced last week.

“Every year they say ‘we’re making this a priority,’ and then no one really moves,” the “That 70’s Show” star told ITK in a phone interview this week.

{mosads}Saying both Republicans and Democrats have been “dangling a carrot” in front of the Hispanic community, the Voto Latino Artist Coalition Co-Chairman exclaimed, “For me, it was a very sad situation for the community, as [Hispanics have] been patiently waiting for what has been promised.”

The Florida-born actor is of Colombian and Venezuelan descent, and spent some of his childhood in Venezuela, moving back to the United States when he was a teenager. Valderrama supported Democrats in the past, but says his disappointment has been triggered by both political parties when it comes to immigration reform.

“Both parties have a lot of rebuilding to do with the community,” the 34-year-old entertainer said.

But he applauds Obama’s use of executive authority, announced in a primetime address last week, to give legal status to millions of immigrants that are in the country illegally.

“I think it’s definitely going to make the community feel that, for once, somebody stood up for them, finally. And somebody made them a priority fairly quickly this year,” Valderrama said.

Valderrama, who currently stars in the series “From Dusk Till Dawn,” says opponents of Obama’s executive actions are basing their criticism on “a very paraphrased version of the order.” He says those that “really listen” understand “this is not a solution. I feel like it’s just one step forward in the direction of where possibly it needs to be… This is a gift.”