I've interviewed presidents, dictators and famous entertainers. I've reported from wars, natural disasters and papal visits during my journalistic career. But my stepdaughter had never been as impressed as when I told her I was going to interview Cesar Millan. If you are a dog lover and admirer of sheer talent, you also would be impressed by “The Dog Whisperer.”

Millan is a living example of success. With his uncanny ability to rehabilitate dogs and a good dose of charisma, he has created a virtual empire from scratch. But even more exemplary is that he did so despite having come to this country 20 years ago, penniless and without documents.

With a hit TV show on the National Geographic Channel, four books, two magazines, a Web site, products for dogs under his name and a canine rehabilitation center, Millan does not seem to be the prototype of the undocumented worker in this country, but in reality, he is. Like so many immigrants, he came to the United States with a dream.

As a child, Millan had a special connection with animals. The dogs in his hometown of Culiacan in the Mexican state of Sinaloa followed him everywhere. He even was nicknamed “the dog guy.” He remembers that at an early age he asked his mother if he could be the best dog trainer in the world, and she replied, “You can do whatever you want in life.” He believed it.

And that was how a 21-year-old with a dream set out to seek fame and fortune in the United States. On a December 23, he traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border with only $100 in his pocket and the clothes he was wearing.

He chuckled as he told me, “My job was trying to cross the border, and I did it 500 times in two weeks.” He added, “They detained me, and then I would try again; sometimes it was with the intention to eat something,” because according to Millan, “on this side of the border, they feed you before deporting you.” Miraculously, he came across an honest human trafficker, known as a “coyote.” “He charged me $100 to get me across and then helped pay the taxi fare to get me to my destination,” he said.

But becoming the best dog trainer in the world was not as easy as he thought it would be. He washed dishes, cleaned cars, swept floors, was a chauffeur, and the closest he came to his dream was walking the dogs in his neighborhood for $10 a stroll.

But luck and perseverance were on his side. One day he crossed paths with actress Jada Pinkett Smith, who had faith in his ability and sponsored his English classes, which led the way to what is now a multibillion-dollar company.

He also was lucky to have met the woman who would become his wife, the mother of his children and the backbone of his empire. Together, Cesar and Ilusion Millan have taken their business to new heights. His television program, “The Dog Whisperer,” is broadcast in 90 countries; they established a foundation to rescue, rehabilitate and relocate dogs; and they are about to start a program with Yale University to teach children the psychology of dogs at a young age.

Millan explained to me that over time, he realized his work was not about just training dogs: “I train people and rehabilitate dogs.” He added, “I teach humans about the needs of the dogs and the equilibrium that needs to coexist in order for discipline to be achieved.”

It's ironic that this undocumented immigrant who eventually succeeded in becoming a citizen is now considered an icon in the U.S. His clients include prominent businessmen, politicians and celebrities. Today, his services can cost up to $10,000 a session. He is so famous and in-demand that landing an interview with him was more difficult than reaching the president of the United States. But it was worth the wait -- I was able to bring back an autographed book for my stepdaughter and her dog Mili.

Millan believes that he is not necessarily living the American dream. “All humans have a dream to seek a better life for their families,” he said. “The United States lends itself to making that dream become a reality.” I'm dying to interview him again and ask what he thinks of the anti-immigrant law in Arizona.

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(Maria Elena Salinas is the author of “I AM MY FATHER'S DAUGHTER: LIVING A LIFE WITHOUT SECRETS.” Reach her at www .mariaesalinas.com)

© 2010 by Maria Elena Salinas

Distributed by King Features Syndicate