Happy Birthday to California
Floor Speech
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Ms. RIVAS. Mr. Speaker, happy birthday to the greatest State in the Union. Mr. Speaker, 175 years ago, California was admitted as the 31st State in the Union.
For 175 years, California was built by people from across the globe who came in search of a better life. This includes my mother, who immigrated to the San Fernando Valley in the 1960s and worked multiple jobs so that my sister and I could live out the American Dream.
Stories like mine are what make California great, and it is what has made California special for the past 175 years. Generations of immigrants, workers, dreamers, and innovators have propelled California forward and made it a beacon for the rest of the Nation.
Those advancements did not come without challenges, and communities across our State currently face threats to their livelihoods that directly challenge our State's values.
Because of the Trump administration, many in my district and across the State live under fear that ICE will tear their family apart.
In just 9 months, Trump has manufactured a crisis that harms our most vulnerable, including students starting a new school year, senior citizens, young children, and disabled individuals. He is detaining hardworking individuals who are in this country legally and providing for their families so they, too, can have a chance at their American Dream.
I know California, and Californians are tough and resilient. Last month, I met with Mariela from Panorama City. Mariela stepped up to support her family and neighbors because street vendors like her mom are terrified that she may be swept up by ICE and separated from her family.
Mariela's resiliency and advocacy for others in the face of Donald Trump's harmful anti-immigrant agenda embodies the spirit of California and what it means to be a Californian.
I am a proud Californian from the San Fernando Valley raised by an immigrant mother, lifted by my community, and inspired every day by the people of this State.
For 175 years, immigrants, workers, dreamers, and innovators made California a leader in the country. As we celebrate California's 175th birthday, let's recommit ourselves to protecting our most vulnerable and protecting a future where every family has what they need to thrive.
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