Immigrants Serve Vital Role

Floor Speech

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Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with immigrant communities across the country, the people who we call our friends, neighbors, and loved ones.

We know that immigrants serve a vital role in the fabric of our Nation. Unfortunately, Donald Trump and his allies have spent their time and energy spreading lies about them. The most recent lies about immigrants are as dangerous as they are false, and they are part of the same tired playbook that we have seen from extremist Republicans time and time again.

From Springfield, Ohio, to Hudson County, New Jersey, immigrants are being vilified, threatened, and harassed. Immigrants don't feel safe going to work, picking up their children from school, or even going to their places of worship. This is a direct result of the dangerous rhetoric coming from the very top of the Republican Party, and it is unacceptable. It is past time that we return to the level of political discourse that lifts immigrants up, not tears them down.

I am immensely proud to represent New Jersey's 8th Congressional District, a community that is over 40 percent foreign born. I, myself, am the grandson of Cuban immigrants. Their story and the stories of so many in New Jersey and across the country are what make America great.

Our district is proof that when we stand side by side with immigrant families, embracing different ideas, cultures, and backgrounds, we make our communities stronger.

In Congress, I strive for leadership rooted in respect, and I would hope that all those who have the privilege of serving in elected office would do the same. That is how we promise a future for this country rooted in respect, integrity, and inclusivity.

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