[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 80 (Thursday, May 11, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H2250-H2251]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CONGRESS NEEDS TO ACT ON IMMIGRATION REFORM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Garcia) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. GARCIA of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2, the 
Secure the Border Act of 2023, scheduled for a vote on the House floor 
today.
  This bill is extreme and wrong. This bill in no way secures the 
border. In fact, it would only make security worse.
  It is an assault on asylum seekers and those who flee poverty, 
hunger, and violence, including unaccompanied minors and families with 
children. It exploits challenges on our border for political points. It 
adds to the human suffering of those who come to our country seeking 
safety and a better life. It is also about putting politics over 
people.
  We all expect our government to effectively manage our borders and 
thoroughly vet those who seek to enter as refugees, to join their 
family already in the country, or to work. We all agree on that.
  Instead, what we see is children are in danger, families are 
separated or detained, and people are dying.
  We need reform and we need it now.
  The last time Congress passed immigration reform was in 1996, 27 
years ago. This Republican-led bill eliminates several legal 
immigration pathways, essentially making fewer people eligible for 
legal status while making more people deportable.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is extreme and wrong. Again, session after 
session, we talk about reform but nothing ever passes, not a single 
immigration law update, again, since 1996.
  Time and time again, Republicans block meaningful legislation for 
safe and legal immigration from moving beyond this floor. Our job as 
public officials is to serve and protect our constituents, but we have 
been failing them for 27 years.
  House Republicans focus solely on immigration as a border issue, 
providing billions of dollars in so-called border security, building 
walls, increasing personnel, and rapid expulsion policies. That hasn't 
worked, has it?
  The promised security involves a militarized border, wasting the 
taxpayers' money, and increased violence for those seeking asylum.
  Since 1988, at least 8,000 undocumented immigrants have died 
attempting to cross the border from Mexico to the United States. People 
are dying every day while we wait on Republicans to budge.
  While rightwing media and extreme MAGA Republicans call immigrants 
``illegals,'' seeking asylum is a legal right. It is in our immigration 
law. They are following the law. This law and this right would be 
denied to thousands under this bill.
  The administration and Congress must act. Again, this bill is simply 
extreme and wrong and does nothing to secure our border.
  Meanwhile, we continue to see the violence at the border and violence 
in my home State of Texas. I was born and raised in South Texas. I am 
not from Long Island or Boston or somewhere else talking about the 
border. I am from South Texas. I am talking about our South Texas 
border.

                              {time}  1015

  Over the weekend, it was heartbreaking to see that 8 people were 
killed and 10 injured when a vehicle was driven into a group of people 
waiting in line at a migrant shelter in south Texas.
  We all know that there will be a surge of migrants coming in as of 
tonight, and cities like Brownsville, where this occurred, are 
preparing. We are preparing in Houston because we know we will get some 
of the impact, too.
  We must keep in mind that since migrants will no longer have the 
protections they have been afforded in the past--this bill will 
eliminate all that. People are losing their lives as they wait, even at 
this shelter. People are losing their lives on their way over.
  Now more than ever, safe and legal immigration reform is necessary. 
We must protect all God's children. We must always put people over 
politics and rhetoric.
  Now more than ever, we need safe and legal immigration reform. Now 
more than ever, we cannot wait another moment.
  Mr. Speaker, I oppose this bill and ask my colleagues to do the same.

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