    [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 36 (Monday, February 24, 2025)]
    [House]
    [Pages H735-H736]
    From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                          HAITIAN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY

      The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
    Puerto Rico (Mr. Hernandez) for 5 minutes.
      Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, last week, I met with priests and leaders
    of the Haitian immigrant community in Puerto Rico. I heard their
    accounts of what has been happening since ICE began its raids. The
    stories were devastating and demoralizing.
      Mr. Speaker, imagine living in Puerto Rico for 40 years, building a
    life, raising children, and contributing to our economy, and facing the
    fear of being unfairly deported to a country you barely know, one
    devastated by violence and disaster.
      Mr. Speaker, imagine being a documented resident of Puerto Rico and
    being placed under arrest, simply because you looked or sounded like an
    undocumented immigrant.
      Mr. Speaker, imagine needing medical care but being too afraid to
    leave your home and seek help out of fear of being detained and
    deported.
      This is not justice, and as our former Governor, Luis Munoz Marin,
    once said: Injustice towards some is injustice towards all.
      Beyond the ethical concerns, beyond the moral concerns, and beyond
    the emotional concerns that these injustices raise, there are practical
    consequences that I urge the administration to consider. The
    persecution of documented immigrants hurts our communities, our
    economy, and our businesses.
      Businesses in Puerto Rico and across the United States are suffering
    because immigrants are too afraid to go to work, seek services, or even
    buy food. I have heard stories of construction workers who don't show
    up to work and of local restaurants that have suddenly changed their
    business model from dining-in to delivery. Barrio Obrero, a Dominican
    neighborhood in San Juan, is not what it used to be.
      We are doing our best to protect immigrants and ensure they are
    treated with dignity and respect. That is why on January 27 I sent an
    oversight letter, along with the chair of the Congressional Hispanic
    Caucus, Adriano Espaillat, to demand answers from DHS and ICE on
    wrongful tactics used by agents that have caused considerable distress
    within communities in Puerto Rico and across the country. To date, DHS
    and ICE have not adequately answered our questions.
      On January 29, I personally called the Puerto Rico Association of
    Mayors and asked them to provide as much assistance as legally possible
    to protect our immigrant communities.
      On February 6, I joined Congressman Espaillat in introducing H.R.
    1061, which would prevent immigration enforcement at sensitive
    locations, such as churches and schools, so that migrants can safely
    visit.
      Our message to the immigrant communities in Puerto Rico and the
    United States is simple: You are not alone, and we will keep fighting
    for you.
      Now for the interests of my constituents, I will repeat my remarks in
    Spanish.
      (Spanish translation of the statement made in English is as follows:)
      Senor Presidente, La semana pasada me reuni con sacerdotes y lideres
    de la comunidad inmigrante haitiana en Puerto Rico. Escuche sus relatos
    sobre lo que ha estado ocurriendo desde que ICE comenzo sus redadas.
    Las historias eran devastadoras y desmoralizantes.
      Imagine vivir en Puerto Rico por 40 anos--construir una vida, criar
    hijos, contribuir a nuestra economia--y enfrentarse al temor de ser
    deportado injustamente a un pais que apenas conoces, un pais devastado
    por la violencia y los desastres.
      Imagina ser un residente documentado de Puerto Rico y ser arrestado--
    simplemente porque ``parecias'' o ``sonabas'' como un inmigrante
    indocumentado.
      Imagina necesitar atencion medica, pero tener demasiado miedo de
    salir de tu hogar y buscarla por temor a ser detenido y deportado.
      Esto no es justicia, y como dijo una vez nuestro exgobernador Luis
    Munoz Marin, ``en la larga historia de los pueblos, lo que es injusto
    para algunos, es injusto para todos''.
      Mas alla de las preocupaciones eticas, morales y emocionales que
    generan estas injusticias, hay consecuencias practicas que insto a la
    administracion a considerar. La persecucion de inmigrantes documentados
    perjudica nuestra economia, nuestros negocios y nuestras comunidades.
      Los negocios en Puerto Rico y en Estados Unidos estan sufriendo.
    Hemos oido historias de trabajadores de la industria de construccion
    que no llegan a su lugar de trabajo. Hemos oido historias de
    restaurantes que han tenido que cambiar su modelo de negocio de cenar
    en el restaurante a hacer entrega.
      Los negocios en Puerto Rico, en lugares como Barrio Obrero, se han
    visto profundamente afectados, y las comunidades no son lo que eran
    antes.
      Estamos haciendo todo lo posible para proteger a los inmigrantes y
    garantizar que sean tratados con dignidad, con respeto y como seres
    humanos.
      Por eso, el 27 de enero, lidere una carta junto con el presidente del
    Caucus Hispano del Congreso, Adriano Espaillat, exigiendo respuestas de
    DHS y de ICE sobre las tacticas erroneas utilizadas por los agentes en
    estas redadas. Hasta la fecha, no hemos recibido respuestas
    satisfactorias.
      El 29 de enero, llame personalmente a la Asociacion de Alcaldes y les
    pedi que brindaran toda la asistencia posible, dentro de la legalidad,
    a nuestras comunidades inmigrantes. Y el 6 de febrero, me uni al
    congresista Espaillat para presenter el Proyecto de ley con el fin de
    proteger los lugares sensibles de redadas.
      Nuestro mensaje para las comunidades inmigrantes en Puerto Rico y en
    Estados Unidos es simple: no estan solos y seguiremos luchando por
    ustedes.

    [[Page H736]]

      The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Puerto Rico will provide
    a translation to the Chair.

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