[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 65 (Thursday, April 10, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H1585-H1586]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THIS COUNTRY HAS IMMIGRATION LAWS
(Mr. GROTHMAN asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute.)
Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, during a committee hearing I attended
yesterday, immigration was a topic that was brought up and it seemed
apparent to me that the party on the other side of the aisle didn't
understand why we have immigration laws.
First of all, it is a complete insult to the over 800,000 people who
are sworn in as new citizens in this country annually. Secondly, we
have to make sure the next generation of Americans here think like
Americans and fit in our culture, which means they are law-abiding.
Just in general, the idea of having a million people breaking the law
to come here, saying they need asylum when they don't, means they are
not going to fit in with our culture.
[[Page H1586]]
Finally, I will share a word from Mark Reihl, back from my State
legislative days, of the carpenters union. Again and again, he would
come into my office saying that his guys, his union carpenters, were
being undercut by people coming here illegally, and he demanded that we
crack down on that. Illegal immigration drives down wages of Americans
who are already here.
We heard that yesterday as the Democrats were claiming that if you
kicked out the illegals the cost of things will go up, as they will.
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