[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 158 (Friday, September 26, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E905]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING PHILLIP ARROYO AS A DISTINGUISHED LEADER IN CENTRAL FLORIDA 
                      FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DARREN SOTO

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 26, 2025

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, Phillip Arroyo is a distinguished attorney, 
advocate, and proud Puerto Rican whose life reflects a lifelong 
dedication to justice. Born in 1982 on a United States military base in 
Germany to a Puerto Rican father who served in the Armed Forces, he was 
raised with the values of resilience, service, and courage. From 2009 
to 2012, Mr. Arroyo served as special assistant to the Puerto Rico 
Secretary of State, Kenneth McClintock, and in the Puerto Rico Senate. 
He later addressed the international community, twice testifying before 
the United Nations in New York City on the island's unequal political 
status within the United States. In 2012, he was selected from 
thousands of applicants nationwide to serve as a White House intern 
under President Barack Obama's administration, where he worked in the 
office of then-Vice President Joe Biden, analyzing domestic policy.
  Following his graduation from Florida A&M University College of Law, 
Mr. Arroyo chose to serve as a public defender, representing the poor 
and ensuring the constitutional rights of the most vulnerable were 
protected. In 2022, he transitioned into private practice, co-founding 
the Arroyo Law Firm in Orlando, Florida, with his wife and law partner, 
Josephine Arroyo. Under their leadership, the firm has become one of 
Central Florida's most respected criminal defense and immigration 
practices, recognized for zealous advocacy, service to underserved 
communities, and its particular commitment to assisting the Hispanic 
community.
  In addition, Mr. Arroyo is a frequent commentator in both national 
and local media on issues of criminal justice, immigration, and civil 
rights. While many in the legal community have remained silent, he has 
consistently spoken up in defense of our Constitution and immigrant 
communities during these dark times.
  His journey--from Puerto Rico to the United Nations, to the White 
House, and now to the courtroom--stands as a testament to perseverance, 
courage, and the enduring power of advocacy in the pursuit of justice 
for all.

                          ____________________