Secure the Border Act of 2023

Floor Speech

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Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 2, the child deportation act.

I rise today because seeking asylum is a human right because we are a nation of immigrants.

I migrated to the U.S. when I was 9, but the same pathways to citizenship that enabled me to become a citizen and become a Member of Congress no longer exist.

Our immigration system has become more restrictive. Our border is more militarized. This Republican bill is the cruelest we have seen in a long time. It destroys asylum. It doubles down on detention. It puts kids in jail. It is a bill intended to rally the base by vilifying immigrants. It is straight out of the Tucker Carlson playbook.

Migrants make the journey through rivers and jungles, in trucks and on trains. They make the journey out of desperation and out of fear.

We need an immigration system rooted in compassion and opportunity, not like this bill.

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