Fighting Dhs Immigration Raids

Floor Speech

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Mrs. TORRES of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against the narrative being promoted about immigrants, portraying them as rapists, drug dealers, and murderers.

These claims are nothing more than a self-reflection of our country's leaders who promised to protect Americans and enforce the law, yet whose actions have violated basic human rights, the Constitution, the rule of law, and are now costing our country economically.

Under these policies, DHS is targeting people because of the color of their skin, the language they speak, and where they come from. Families are being separated, children are traumatized, and communities live in fear. These actions are weakening our labor force, shrinking our tax base, and threatening industries that rely on a stable workforce.

Members of Congress should not be targeted with CS gas, shoved, or have false charges filed against them simply for performing oversight.

Citizens should not be shot at simply for raising concerns about the safety of children in the presence of armed men in their neighborhoods.

This approach doesn't make us safer. It disrupts local economies, increases costs for taxpayers, and undermines the workforce that keeps our country running.

Every day these policies continue, businesses lose workers, consumers lose purchasing power, and taxpayers pay for the unnecessary enforcement. We need transparency, fair treatment, and laws that reflect reality, not fear or political theater.

Let me remind this Chamber, undocumented immigrants--the same people being targeted--contributed $96.7 billion in Federal, State, and local taxes in 2022, including $25.7 billion into Social Security benefits they will never receive, $6.4 billion into Medicare, $1.8 billion into unemployment insurance.

If some Members don't care about the human cost, consider the financial one. Removing these workers weakens our economy and raises costs for everyone. Protecting them protects our bottom line.

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