Lizbeth Mateo, a 33-year-old attorney and immigration rights activist, on Wednesday became the first undocumented immigrant to be appointed to a state post in California.
Mateo was appointed to a committee post that aims to help low-income students and those from underserved communities gain increased college access, Newsweek reported.
Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon characterized the appointment as a defiant move against President Donald Trump’s policies on immigration.
“While Donald Trump fixates on walls, California will continue to concentrate on opportunities,” de Leon told The Sacramento Bee. “Ms. Mateo is a courageous, determined, and intelligent young woman who at great personal risk has dedicated herself to fight for those seeking their rightful place in this country.”
Mateo was born in Oaxaca, Mexico, and brought to the U.S. by her parents when she was 14, Newsweek reported. She passed the California bar last year and was sworn in by de Leon on June 29, 2017. California began allowing undocumented immigrants to practice law in 2014.
Trump visited California on Wednesday to see prototypes of the border wall that he has pledged to build to reduce illegal immigration. During the visit, Trump said California was “begging us to build walls in certain areas,” Newsweek reported.
Trump has criticized California for allowing sanctuary cities where undocumented immigrants are immune from prosecution and are given many of the same rights as U.S. citizens.
Trump also said California Gov. Jerry Brown was doing a “terrible” job, to which Brown responded that “bridges are still better than walls.”
Twitter followers were not all happy about the appointment of Mateo.