At a recent rally in Iowa Mr Cruz encountered Ofelia Valdez, 30, who had been brought illegally from Mexico as a child. Miss Valdez had lived more than half her life in the state where she had been widely praised for her work at a charity which cares for children with special needs. She had also earned a degree in business administration. She asked Mr Cruz whether, as he has vowed, people like her would be sent back to Mexico on his first day in office. Mr Cruz looked her straight in the eye and told her yes. Afterwards, a tearful Miss Valdez told the Telegraph: "I'm worried: I know lots of people in the same situation as myself. What's going to happen to us, our jobs, our families?"