[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 103 (Wednesday, June 20, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H5349]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     MEMORIALIZING MARTIN MARTINEZ

  (Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York asked and was given permission 
to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
memorialize Martin Martinez and to draw attention to his story and his 
struggle.
  Martin lived for over 30 years here in the United States. He worked 
hard, paid taxes, learned English. He had two beautiful American 
children, one of them, Maria, worked for the people of the United 
States, the House of Representatives, and for me.
  Martin was a good American, but he was also an undocumented 
immigrant, and even though he was putting himself at risk and he knew 
it, he and his wife self-reported to the government to declare their 
status. They followed every instruction they were given, and they 
stayed out of any kind of trouble, but they were still deported.
  Soon after the deportation, Martin paid the ultimate price and lost 
his life on February 27.
  Now, he had existing heart problems, but his daughter, Maria, will 
tell you, ``This administration separated my family and my dad died of 
a broken heart.''
  Maria and her brother are now forced to grieve alone, for their 
mother was also deported and has been barred from reentering the United 
States for a decade.
  Maria and the rest of the Martinez family are forced to suffer the 
real human cost of this administration's policies. And it is stories 
like Martin's that so clearly demonstrate the need for comprehensive 
immigration reform.
  Martin's story is the story of millions of immigrants. It is our 
story. And it is our responsibility to learn from it and to act. We 
can't bring back Martin Martinez, but we can do something to heal our 
country.

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