[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 103 (Wednesday, June 20, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H5292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              FAMILIES HAVE A RIGHT TO PETITION FOR ASYLUM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
New Mexico (Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Madam Speaker, this past 
week, my colleagues and I traveled to different parts of the border to 
see firsthand how children, mothers, and fathers are being terrorized 
by the most anti-immigrant, xenophobic, and racist administration of my 
lifetime.
  We did this because we cannot stand by, cannot stand idly by, and 
watch the most powerful country in the world tearing children from 
their mothers and their fathers at their most vulnerable and desperate 
moments. The stories of babies and toddlers being torn from the arms of 
their mothers and fathers, the heartbreaking audio of children crying 
and screaming for their parents, the account of a distraught father 
taking his own life after his own child was wrestled from his arms, and 
of a mother who was deported before she could recover her son from 
detention, these are the atrocities perpetrated by President Trump, and 
they must stop.

                              {time}  0930

  Families fleeing violence deserve and have a right to petition their 
claim for asylum, for that is the law of the land.
  I am here with two children today to call on this administration to 
stop this cruel, inhumane practice that betrays who we are as a 
country.
  The President could make the decision to end this practice right now 
and do the right thing. Failing that, Congress must act.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to my distinguished colleague from Washington 
(Ms. Jayapal).
  Ms. JAYAPAL. Madam Speaker, 10 days ago, I visited a Federal prison 
south of Seattle that holds 174 women. I met with all of those women. 
They are seeking asylum. One woman had three children. The first child 
was shot and murdered by gangs. The second child was shot and paralyzed 
by gangs, and the third child was the child she tried to bring here to 
safety.
  These are the stories of the people who are coming across the border. 
All of the mothers and the 174 people who were at the Federal prison 
had not even been able to say good-bye to their children. They did not 
know where their children were. They had been subjected to the worst 
conditions at the border.
  Madam Speaker, what is this country coming to? This is a country that 
should value our children, that should value the rights of our 
children; and these children are sitting in cages on the border in tent 
cities.
  This President created this crisis, and this President can stop this 
crisis right now with a phone call. Do not tell us it is about 
Congress. It is about the President of the United States who has chosen 
to take this democracy to its very bottom.
  This is the bottom. This is abuse. It is a human rights violation, 
and we must end it. He must end it.
  Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Madam Speaker, I yield to 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez).
  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Madam Speaker, I want to thank all of my colleagues 
from all over the United States. I would like to ask them all to please 
step forward and bring your guests. Every Member of Congress is allowed 
two children under the age of 12. Please bring them forward with you.
  I think more powerful than anything I could say is to stand with 
children. Please. Please. We only have 5 minutes, but let's take the 
minutes so the children can step forward. Please bring them forward. 
All of the Members of Congress, you are all allowed under our rules to 
have two children.


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would advise Members to not 
traffic the well while another Member is under recognition.
  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Madam Speaker, under the protection of Members of the 
U.S. House of Representatives, we are here with the children because we 
believe that this is what is important.
  I want to thank all of my colleagues, I know that the rules do not 
allow all of you to speak. But I think you speak with your presence 
here and with these children in your arms.
  I want to tell you something. I know this is a tragic moment, but 
this weekend, I couldn't have felt prouder to be an American. I 
couldn't have felt prouder about just what our exceptionalism is.
  I saw Americans everywhere across this country standing up for 
children, standing up for those who are in need, and standing up for 
moms and dads who are being separated.
  Let's celebrate, too, that America sees this injustice, sees this 
cruelty, sees this evil, and did not remain silent. That is the America 
that I am so happy I was born into.
  We have a great country. Let's remember that. So let's keep the 
fight. Let's keep the fight for these children who are here. They are 
so beautiful.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from New Mexico's time has 
expired.
  The gentleman from Illinois is not recognized.

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