( CNN ) -- The immigration debate in the United States should be guided by what is in the best interests of the United States . Take it from a fifth-generation American whose maternal ancestors have been in Texas since the Lone Star State was more commonly referred to as `` Northern Mexico . '' Which means that Americans need to do everything they can to retain people such as Erika Andiola . We have to identify people like this 27-year-old undocumented immigrant from Mexico and find ways to allow them to remain in the only country they 've ever known . We need more Erikas because the `` DREAMer '' -- who arrived in the United States when she was 11 and lives near Phoenix -- understands , better than many U.S.-born citizens , the responsibility to hold elected officials accountable regardless of what party they 're in . Andiola is one of the most famous DREAMers in the country . In 2012 , she appeared with nearly three dozen other undocumented immigrants -- including journalist Jose Antonio Vargas -- on the cover of Time magazine . In September 2013 , she began an eye-opening adventure when she went to Washington to work for Rep. Kyrsten Sinema . She lasted four months . She left after concluding from conversations with other congressional aides that Democrats would prefer not to solve the immigration problem because they would rather use it a club to bludgeon Republicans . She wrote about her experience and observed that Washington was driven by `` political games -- games that are causing too much pain in our community . '' She also declared that the immigrant community and the American people have more power to affect change than `` politicians inside the beltway . '' Truth-telling wo n't make you popular . And for some in the immigrant advocacy movement , Andiola is now persona non grata . She is attacked on social media , and -- while she used to be a frequent guest at the White House for policy meetings on immigration -- she has recently been yanked out of line several times while waiting to enter for one event or another . Demanding results from Democratic elected officials can cost you friends among left-leaning activists who put their party before their cause . `` Unfortunately , a lot of immigration activists are Democrats , '' Andiola told me . `` As soon as anything comes out of their mouths , it 's so biased . '' Spot on . Such honest talk can get you labeled a `` Republican '' by partisans on the left . Especially if you 're also turning up the heat on Latino Democrats in Congress , directly confronting them and demanding that they pressure the White House to pursue immigration reform . And especially if you 're criticizing a Democratic president for racking up deportations . `` At this point , I would n't consider myself a Democrat or a Republican , '' Andiola said . `` Immigration has become such a political issue that neither party is doing anything about it . '' Right again . The object of the game seems to be for both parties to look busy while doing nothing and then blame the other side for getting nothing done . Democrats want to use the issue to bludgeon Republicans , but they 're also afraid of being seen as too sympathetic to illegal immigrants . It 's an issue both parties wish would go away for another decade . Andiola has been an activist since 2010 when she pushed for the DREAM Act , which promised legal status to undocumented young people , and against the Arizona immigration law , which encouraged racial profiling . Now she is sick of politics . While she still supports a path to citizenship for the undocumented , she first wants an end to the deportations juggernaut that has wreaked havoc on so many families , including her own . The deportation issue eventually hit home for Erika . As a DREAMer , she has been granted a two-year work permit under the program , Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals . But while this protects her from being deported , that protection does n't extend to her family . In January 2013 , ICE agents stormed her mother 's apartment and arrested her mother , Maria Arreola , and older brother , Heriberto . Erika mobilized her network , and her family was released -- though they still had to appear in court . In December 2013 , Arreola was granted a temporary stay of deportation . For a 27-year-old , Andiola has had enough experiences to fill several lives . Yet , despite it all , she knows who she is -- even if the answer does n't please everyone . In January 2013 , she was being interviewed by Univision anchor and commentator Jorge Ramos about her mother 's arrest . At the end of the interview , Ramos asked her : `` Que eres ? '' ( Who are you ? ) He wanted to know if she identified as a Mexican or North American or what . I could tell that Ramos was hoping she 'd go with `` Mexican . '' She did n't . `` I 'm very proud of my culture and heritage , '' Andiola said . `` But I love this country . I think of myself as an American , a Mexican-American . '' Told you . She 's one of ours . Now if we can just get her to teach her fellow Americans how to be less partisan and hold both parties ' feet to the fire , we might form a more perfect union .
Ruben Navarrette : We have to find ways to let the undocumented stay in the U.S. Navarrette espouses Erika Andiola , who is one of the most famous DREAMers . He says D.C. is driven , unfortunately , by political games on the issue of immigration . Navarrette : Neither Democrats nor Republicans are doing anything on reform .