[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 28, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H1359]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   FIX OUR BROKEN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Barragan) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce my guest for 
tonight's joint session of Congress. Roque Pech is a constituent of 
mine from California's 44th District. He lives in Wilmington. He came 
to this country at the age of 3 years old. His parents were from 
Mexico, coming here for a better life for their kids. His parents were 
hardworking, getting odd jobs, blue-collar workers, really trying to 
make it.
  Now, Roque is a beneficiary of DACA. He is a DREAMer; somebody who 
was looking forward to going to college, was able to go to undergrad 
and even go to graduate school, where he studied education. He is one 
of the many faces of DREAMers whom our country has benefited from DACA. 
As a teacher, he helps other students who are struggling in math. He is 
a sixth grade teacher who looks into the eyes of kids who dream big, 
who want to make it, and he instills in them some hope.
  Tonight, Roque will be up in this gallery for the first time, looking 
down on a President who has been demeaning immigrants, who hasn't seen 
the value of what immigrants provide to this country.
  Now, this is very personal for me. My parents are also immigrants 
from Mexico. They came here because they wanted a better life for their 
kids. And I beat the odds. I got a piece of the American Dream, and now 
I fight for those to make sure that others have the same opportunity.
  Roque has been spared from the deportations. He is an example of 
immigrants that continue to contribute to our country. He also sits on 
the Wilmington Neighborhood Council, where he provides input and is 
active in the community. Because of DACA, hundreds of kids are 
benefiting from him being a teacher.
  I believe we continue to need comprehensive immigration reform to fix 
our broken immigration system. It is the best answer. Until then, I am 
going to continue to fight to protect hardworking families and 
immigrants who continue to provide value, DREAMers like Roque, who only 
know the United States as their home. He is American in every way.

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