April 22, 2015 1:13 PM EDT
F usion and Univision News anchor Jorge Ramos paid tribute to young immigrants hoping for a chance at the American dream in a moving speech at the TIME 100 Gala.
“It is very difficult to be an immigrant because you have to leave everything,” Ramos said. “You leave your home, your family, your friends, your culture, your language, sometimes your soul.”
He concluded his remarks with a toast to young people brought to the country as children who are battling to secure access to higher education. “My real heroes. The dreamers. You know, they are young, undocumented students who came to this country when they were very young…Because Congress has done absolutely nothing in the last decade on immigration, the dreamers decided to take this on themselves.”
Ramos, a TIME 100 honoree in 2015 , also toasted the group of Mexican journalists who, “have denounced corruption at the highest levels of the Mexican government” and paid tribute to political prisoners in Venezuela, including the leader of the opposition in Venezuela, Leopoldo Lopez.
See the Stars at the 2015 TIME 100 Gala Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Brendan McDermid—Reuters Emma Watson attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Andrew Toth—FilmMagic/Getty Images Julianne Moore attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images for TIME Lorne Michaels attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, NY on Apr. 21, 2015. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images for TIME Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West, along with Amy Schumer, attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images for TIME Faith Hill and Tim McGraw attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Bennett Raglin—Getty Images for TIME Amy Schumer attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Bennett Raglin—Getty Images for TIME John Oliver attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Bennett Raglin—Getty Images for TIME Misty Copeland attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Bennett Raglin—Getty Images for TIME Jorge Ramos attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Bennett Raglin—Getty Images for TIME Barbara Walters attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Bennett Raglin—Getty Images for TIME Arianna Huffington attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Bennett Raglin—Getty Images for TIME Lindsey Vonn and Karlie Kloss attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Bennett Raglin—Getty Images for TIME Julianna Margulies attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Bennett Raglin—Getty Images for TIME Brian Chesky and Elissa Patel attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Patrick McMullan—Sipa USA Diane Von Furstenberg attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Padma Lakshmi attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Danny Meyer and Audrey Meyer attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME John Green and Sarah Urist Green attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Abby Wambach and Sarah Huffman attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Dr. Tom Frieden attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Ina Garten and Jeffrey Garten attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Chanda Kochhar attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Rupert Murdoch attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Arianna Huffington attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images for TIME Jenji Kohan attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images for TIME Lindsey Vonn attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, NY on Apr. 21, 2015. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images for TIME Guests at the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Martha Stewart and Kim Kardashian West attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Larry Busacca—Getty Images for TIME Bradley Cooper and Willie Geist attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, NY, on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Bradley Cooper and Emma Watson attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images for TIME Laverne Cox attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City April 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Diane von Furstenberg and Julianne Moore attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Christopher Nolan talks to TIME reporter Nolan Feeney during the TIME 100 gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Jemal Countess—Getty Images for TIME Kim Kardashian West attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images for TIME Martha Stewart and Karlie Kloss attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME John Oliver attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City April 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Samantha Powers, Ronan Farrow, Mia Farrow, and Cass Sunstein attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015.
Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Craig Venter and Elizabeth Holmes attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, NY, on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Bradley Cooper, Jane Boon, Norman Pearlstein attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Patrick McMullan —Sipa USA Faith Hill and Tim McGraw attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, NY, on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Barbara Walters and Diane von Furstenberg attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Larry Busacca—Getty Images for TIME Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe and Kira Orange-Jones attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, NY, on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Arianna Huffington, Nancy Gibbs and Samantha Power
attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, NY, on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Brian Grazer and guest attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, NY, on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME Lee Daniels and Clara Watson attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Jemal Countess—Getty Images for TIME Tim McGraw performs onstage during TIME 100 Gala, TIME's 100 Most Influential People In The World at Jazz at Lincoln Center on Apr. 21, 2015 in New York City. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images for TIME Bradley Cooper, Nancy Gibbs, Kanye West, and Kim Kardashian West attend the TIME 100 gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Apr. 21, 2015. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images for TIME Kanye West performs at TIME 100 Gala, TIME's 100 Most Influential People In The World at Jazz at Lincoln Center on Apr. 21, 2015 in New York City. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images for TIME Kanye West performs on stage at the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images for TIME Julianne Moore and Bart Freundlich attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Clint Spaulding—Patrick McMullan/Sipa USA Julianna Margulies and Keith Lieberthal attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Patrick McMullan —Sipa USA George Lucas, Kanye West, and Elon Musk attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images for TIME Bradley Cooper and Lorne Michaels attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images for TIME Martha Stewart Kanye West attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Patrick McMullan —Sipa USA Laverne Cox, Kim Kardashian and Naomi Campbell attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Patrick McMullan—Sipa USA Marie Kondo, Julianne Moore and Jenna Lyons attend the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 21, 2015. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images for TIME Laverne Cox poses with a TIME 100 gift bag as she attends the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, NY, on Apr. 21, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker for TIME More Must-Reads from TIME Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You? The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024 The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision