OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Prohibitions Relating to Deferred Action for Aliens

Floor Speech

Date: Aug. 1, 2014
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Minors and Children Immigration

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Ms. VELÁZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 5272 In this legislation, Republicans are turning their backs on children, toddlers, and infants who are trying to escape violence and abuse. The reality is that there is a humanitarian crisis on our doorstep.

Militarizing these borders and expelling children are not long-term solutions. If you read in the news about a country taking these actions, you would assume it was a third-world dictatorship--not the U.S. Instead, we should be rising to the occasion--not cowering from it.

Republicans say that they are just closing a loophole. But, they are really slamming the door shut. Subjecting 5 year-olds to sham legal hearings without counsel is un-American. What's next for the Republicans, sending these kids to Guantanamo Bay?

The reality is that this is a cowardly approach. Time and time again Republicans say ``Deport them!'' But we know that this does not work--and we do know this is not right.

We like to call ourselves ``the land of brave.'' But the real ``brave ones'' are those children who travel thousands of miles to reach a better place. We must reject this unjust and dehumanizing Republican bill.

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