April 23, 2013 11:24 AM UTC

Video: Former Denver Mayor Bill Vidal on Immigration Reform

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• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE: FOX 31's Eli Stokols:

Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vidal told his own personal immigration story: how he came to the U.S. from his native Cuba at the age of four as part of Operation Peter Pan because his parents wanted him to have more opportunities.

“I am fulfilling their American Dream for me,” said Vidal, who spent his career working for the Colorado Dept. of Transportation and as Denver’s Public Works Director before becoming mayor to finish out the final six months of Gov. John Hickenlooper’s second term.

“My personal story represents two great truths about this country: first, that anyone, regardless of their humble beginnings, can become whatever they set their mind to, like the mayor of a large city.

“The second truth is that immigrants make contributions to the success of this country daily, especially when they’re allowed to live out of the shadows, as I’ve been able to do.”

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Video courtesy C-SPAN yesterday of Guillermo "Bill" Vidal, the first foreign-born citizen to serve as Mayor of Denver, and President and CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, testifying in Washington DC before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday on behalf of comprehensive immigration reform. Yesterday's Senate hearing turned acrimonious for reasons that had nothing to do with Mayor Vidal's testimony, and we wanted to make sure his very good presentation yesterday in favor of immigration reform was noted in the record.