[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 48 (Thursday, March 12, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H1666-H1667]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  BILL PUTS INTERESTS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BEFORE RIGHTS OF AMERICAN 
                                CITIZENS

  (Mr. ARRINGTON asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, today, I rise in opposition to H.R. 
5518, the Access to Counsel Act.
  This bill would provide illegal immigrants the right to counsel 
immediately upon crossing our sovereign border, and American taxpayers, 
by the way, would be picking up the tab.
  This legislation doesn't address the humanitarian crisis at the 
border. It doesn't help women and children being exploited by the drug 
cartels. It doesn't

[[Page H1667]]

fix our broken immigration system. It doesn't secure the border. It 
doesn't give resources to our law enforcement to keep them safe and 
successful in doing that job.
  This bill puts the interests of illegal immigrants before the rights 
of American citizens.
  Furthermore, it will overwhelm an already broken court system, 
charging hundreds of millions of dollars to U.S. taxpayers, and provide 
nothing to protect our citizens and the safety of our communities.

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