[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 96 (Thursday, June 5, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H2475-H2476]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PUERTO RICO'S BETRAYAL OF OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES
(Mr. Hernandez of Puerto Rico was recognized to address the House for
5 minutes.)
Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the betrayal by
the government of Puerto Rico to our immigrant communities.
This photo shows a Dominican dish known as ``three blows''--it
includes fried egg, fried salami, and fried cheese.
Needless to say, it breaks your heart. But it doesn't break your
heart as much as the three blows of betrayal that the immigrant
community in Puerto Rico has received at the hands of its government.
On January 19, the Governor of Puerto Rico said that immigrants on
the island had nothing to worry about because ICE wasn't going to
conduct raids outside the border with Mexico.
On January 26, the first raid occurred. Documented immigrants were
detained, in violation of their rights.
That was the first blow.
On January 27, the Governor said she was going to cooperate with the
President's immigration policies.
That was the second blow.
And yesterday, it came to light that the Department of Transportation
and Public Works--which since 2013 has issued driver's licenses to
individuals without questioning their immigration status--was sharing
immigrant information with immigration agencies.
That was the third blow.
Let me be clear: We all want immigrants to have their paperwork in
order. We all want those who break the law to face consequences.
But no one can defend a government deceiving its most vulnerable
community. No one can defend a government asking for personal
information to issue a driver's license and then handing it over to the
federal government so they can be investigated and deported.
We are talking about human beings. We are talking about children who
could lose their parents. We are talking about elderly people who could
lose the children who care for them.
The Government of Puerto Rico will say that, if it doesn't cooperate,
it would lose federal highway funds.
A lie. The federal government--the Constitution of the United
States--assigns the power of the purse to Congress, and the executive
branch cannot freeze funds that Congress has allocated for a specific
purpose.
The Government of Puerto Rico can defend its self-government and its
immigrant community's rights in court.
Twenty states have already done so. Twenty. They sued the federal
government for conditioning federal funds on cooperation with
immigration enforcement. And the Government of Puerto Rico? Coward.
In that lawsuit, the 20 states cited at least eight legal precedents
in favor of jurisdictions that resisted similar pressure from the
federal government. Eight precedents. And the Government of Puerto
Rico? Coward.
History will have no mercy: the Government of Puerto Rico betrayed
Dominicans, Haitians, Venezuelans, and so many other immigrants to
please Donald Trump.
As a friend told me: they gave them three blows and threw them into
the stew.
Mr. Speaker, for the benefit of my constituents and the communities
affected, I will offer my remarks in Spanish.
(Spanish translation of the statement made in English is as follows:)
Esta foto es de un plato dominicano conocido como el ``tres
golpes''--contiene huevo frito, salami frito y queso frito.
De mas esta decir que lastima el corazon. Pero no lastima el corazon
tanto como los tres golpes de traicion que la comunidad de inmigrantes
de Puerto Rico ha recibido de manos de su gobierno.
El 19 de enero, la gobernadora de Puerto Rico dijo que los
inmigrantes en la isla no debian preocuparse porque ICE no iba a hacer
redadas fuera de la frontera con Mexico.
El 26 de enero, ocurrio la primera redada. Detuvieron inmigrantes
documentados, en violacion a sus derechos.
Ese fue el primer golpe.
El 27 de enero, la gobernadora dijo que iba a cooperar con las
politicas migratorias del presidente.
Ese fue el segundo golpe.
Y ayer, salio a relucir que el Departamento de Transportacion y Obras
Publicas, que desde el 2013 otorga licencias de conducir a las
personas, sin cuestionar su estatus migratorio, estaba compartiendo la
informacion de inmigrantes con las agencias de inmigracion.
Ese fue el tercer golpe.
Voy a ser claro: Todos queremos que los inmigrantes esten con sus
papeles al dia. Todos queremos que quien viole la ley enfrente
consecuencias.
Pero nadie puede defender que un Gobierno engane a su comunidad mas
vulnerable. Nadie puede defender que el Gobierno les pida informacion
personal para darles una licencia de conducir y que luego entregue la
misma al gobierno federal para que los investiguen y los deporten.
Estamos hablando de seres humanos. Estamos hablando de ninos que
podrian perder a sus padres. Estamos hablando
[[Page H2476]]
de ancianos que podrian perder a sus hijos cuidadores.
El Gobierno de Puerto Rico dira que, si no coopera, perderia fondos
federales para carreteras.
Mentira. El gobierno federal--la constitucion de los Estados Unidos--
asigna el poder de la cartera al Congreso, y la rama ejecutiva no puede
congelar fondos que el Congreso asigno para un proposito especifico.
El Gobierno de Puerto Rico puede defender sus derechos de su gobierno
propio y el de su comunidad inmigrante en los tribunales.
Veinte estados ya lo han hecho. Veinte. Demandaron al Gobierno
federal por condicionar fondos federales a cambio de cooperacion con
inmigracion. qY el Gobierno de Puerto Rico? Cobarde.
En esa demanda, los 20 estados citan al menos ocho precedentes
judiciales en favor de jurisdicciones que han resistido presiones
similares del Gobierno federal. Ocho precedentes. qY el Gobierno de
Puerto Rico? Cobarde.
La historia no tendra misericordia: el Gobierno de Puerto Rico
traiciono a los dominicanos, a los haitianos, a los venezolanos y a
tantos otros inmigrantes para complacer a Donald Trump.
Como me dijo un amigo: les dieron tres golpes y los tiraron a
mondongo.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair asks the gentleman to submit a
transcript to the desk in English for the Record.
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