[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 36 (Wednesday, March 1, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H1401-H1402]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IMMIGRANTS ALSO SAVE LIVES
(Mr. POLIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, yesterday President Trump launched a rather
ridiculous effort called the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement
Office, or VOICE. They are going to be focusing on talking about people
who were victimized by people who are here illegally.
First of all, the statistics aren't with him. It turns out that
people who are undocumented are among the least likely groups to commit
illegal acts, and studies show that they are one-fifth to one-half less
likely to commit a crime.
So I want to start an effort that is similar. I am going to start a
task force called SAINT, Saved by American Immigrants National
Taskforce, to talk about Americans whose lives were saved by people who
are here undocumented--people like Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, who
became a brain surgeon, saving countless lives; people like Antonio
Diaz Chacon, who chased down a child abductor and saved a 6-
[[Page H1402]]
year-old girl from a horrific fate, even though he is undocumented; and
another undocumented immigrant named Jesus Manuel Cordova, who rescued
a 9-year-old boy in the Arizona desert.
These are the kinds of lifesaving efforts from our undocumented
immigrants where they save American lives. I bet our efforts at SAINT
talking about saving American lives will match, life for life, all of
the things that President Trump tries to drum up through his VOICE
effort.
Of course there are good and bad people. Of course there are good and
bad hombres. Let's celebrate the good with the bad. I look forward to
sharing their stories with my colleagues.
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