[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 121 (Thursday, July 23, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H5190]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1100
                     FREE YA'AKUB IRA VIJANDRE NOW

  (Ms. TLAIB asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, free Ya'akub Ira Vijandre now.
  ICE arrested and detained him for exercising his First Amendment 
rights. They targeted him for speaking out against genocide and 
standing up for political prisoners.
  Ya'akub is a photojournalist who has lived in the United States for 
25 years as a Dreamer, as a DACA recipient. He is a first responder and 
spent a decade working for American Airlines serving on their CARE Team 
that supports families following plane crashes.
  When the helicopter crashed into a plane in D.C., right here, Ya'akub 
was there to support grieving families. When Texas experienced the 
deadliest flood in recent history, Ya'akub volunteered to bring 
emergency aid to victims.
  Now it is our turn to be there for Ya'akub. They are trying to deport 
him over liking social media posts. Why? Because he wants to save lives 
no matter faith or ethnicity.
  This should frighten all of us. The Trump administration is 
terrorizing immigrants who disagree with them and targeting political 
dissent in our country.
  We must speak out. We must free Ya'akub now.

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