[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 186 (Friday, December 11, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2980]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 REMEMBERING THE LIFE OF MR. JOSE LAGOS

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 11, 2009

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
life of humanitarian and compassionate activist, Mr. Jose Lagos. Mr. 
Lagos died of cancer on November 30, 2009 at Jackson Memorial Hospital 
in Miami, Florida at the age of 45. My heartfelt condolences go out to 
his family and friends at this most difficult time.
  Emigrating from his home country of Honduras, Mr. Lagos spent his 
life working to improve South Florida's immigration policies. He was 
born on April 11, 1964 in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, where he 
attended a Catholic high school. In 1985, Mr. Lagos and his family 
relocated to Miami where he enrolled at Miami-Dade Community College. 
He went on to earn an Associate's Degree in business administration. In 
1990, Mr. Lagos began working on immigration issues as the executive 
director of an association that helped medical school graduates from 
other countries obtain their physician's licenses.
  Mr. Lagos was a true leader and unifier. South Florida is a mosaic of 
different immigrant cultures and, unfortunately, many Federal 
immigration policies have proven to be more divisive than effective. 
Mr. Lagos worked to overcome these obstacles. As director of the non-
profit Unidad Hondurena, Spanish for ``Honduran Unity,'' Mr. Lagos 
bridged ideological gaps and created powerful synergies throughout the 
immigration community. He led vigorous grassroots efforts to advance 
the rights of fellow Hondurans and Hispanics, including protesting fee 
hikes for temporary work permits and citizenship applications, alerting 
immigrants to scams, and organizing charities. Mr. Lagos understood the 
power of unity and also strongly supported efforts to gain Temporary 
Protected Status, TPS, for Haitians.
  One year ago, Mr. Lagos was diagnosed with cancer. Throughout his 
treatment, however, his spirit never wavered. He continued to speak on 
behalf of those who came to our country seeking the American dream. 
This past summer, Mr. Lagos exhibited his dedication and courage 
outside a church in Little Havana by rallying others to protest the 
suspension of international aid to Honduras. This is the mark of a true 
hero, a champion of the people.
  Madam Speaker, Mr. Jose Lagos will be remembered in South Florida for 
his message of unity. He celebrated and embodied our great nation's 
rich immigrant heritage. The loss of Mr. Lagos is indeed a loss for us 
all, and for the battle for fair immigration reform.

                          ____________________