Providing for Consideration of H.R. Utilizing Space Efficiently and Improving Technologies Act of and Providing for Consideration of H. Res. Denouncing the Biden Administration's Immigration Policies

Floor Speech

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Mrs. RAMIREZ. Mr. Speaker, for the past year, we have endured attack after attack after attack on immigrant communities, which, by the way, some of us are first generation. Many people here are second, third, and fourth, but we tend to forget that we, too, are immigrants.

We have suffered harmful legislation, an impeachment of Secretary Mayorkas, and inflammatory rhetoric criminalizing and scapegoating immigrant communities.

Mr. Speaker, I got here about a year and a half ago as a freshman Member. As I look around, I understand why the American people are so frustrated with Congress.

They are fed up that we don't have the courage, the moral clarity, and the political will as a body to see through these theatrics for cheap political points and actually do our job.

I stand here today as a daughter of immigrants, but also as the wife of Boris Hernandez. I am the only Member of Congress in a mixed-status family. My husband is a Dreamer, and he has been here since the age of 14.

I represent a district proud of immigrants who call it home. I represent the essential workers that kept us alive during the pandemic and the same people that you go to on Cinco de Mayo when you celebrate a meal and drink your margaritas.

Today, I am here proudly standing as co-lead of the Dream and Promise Act. The Dream and Promise Act is an actual immigration policy solution, not a cheap political stunt. It gives Dreamers and immigrants in America an earned pathway to citizenship that reflects our values as a Nation, a multicultural democracy of diversity and inclusion.

Today, I rise to denounce my colleagues' lack of meaningful action on immigration policy, nothing since 1986. We can't treat people who have built our communities and invested in our Nation and public institutions without the promise of citizenship. We can't treat them as disposable.

Their commitment to us and to our Nation have already demonstrated a promise to address our historic labor shortage: 9 million jobs open right now and to grow our GDP by $1.7 trillion over the next decade.

We must demonstrate our commitment to them and to the solutions that will deliver real, effective immigration reform.

I affirm that it is this body who refuses to use its authority to enact policy if it fails to take up any of the bipartisan immigration policies filed in this Chamber.

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Mrs. RAMIREZ. Mr. Speaker, we must embrace our values as a Nation without questioning the dignity of our neighbors lives and claims. There are toddlers who have been here their entire life and are now 30 years old.

Let's stop acting like we are powerless and pass H.R. 16 today.

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