Speech #1140007571

Why do they think that stopping his opportunity to go to medical school and serve America is in the best interests of our Nation? It certainly isnt. Yesterday the Senate assistant majority leader said on the floor that DACA "kicked the people who played by the rules to the back of the line and the people who did not to the front of the line." Here is the reality: The Presidents immigration action simply puts a temporary hold on the deportation of lowpriority cases like immigrant students such as Pablo da Silva. It doesnt put the DREAMers or any other undocumented immigrants in the same line as legal immigrants. and it doesnt put any legal immigrants at the back of the line. Only Congress can do that. Speaking of Congress. it is important to note that in 2013 this Senate passed comprehensive immigration reform with a strong vote of 68 to 32. Republicans and Democrats voted for it. For the remainder of that Congress. the year 2013 and 2014more than 11/2 yearsthe Republican House of Representatives refused to allow a vote on the Senates immigration reform bill. refused to call their own bill. refused to take any action. It was at that moment when the President stepped forward and said: I have to do something with this broken immigration system. Instead of slowing down the appropriations to the Department of Homeland Security. I wish to remind the majority leader and the Speaker of the obvious. They are in control. They have the majority. They can call immigration issues before the Senate and the House at a moments notice. We are preparedpreparedto debate those immigration issues. but we are not prepared to do that. engage in that important debate. at the expense of funding the Department of Homeland Security. Now we are going to waste a week of the Senates timea week when we could pass the ShaheenMikulski bill and fund this Department. a week when we could initiate the debate on immigration. a week when the Republicans can come forward with their own immigration ideas. if they have any. other than deporting Pablo da Silva. They can come forward now. but they refuse to. They want to make this political point with the President. but they do it at the expense of the safety and security of America. and they do it at the expense of DREAMers such as Pablo da Silva. Every time we have tried to pass comprehensive immigration reform. the Republicans have said no. Every student of American history can tell us that antiimmigration parties eventually wither and die. We are a nation of immigrants. There are some on the Republican side who understand that. and they cant really explain why the Grand Old Party. the Republican Party. is turning its back on immigrants in a nation of immigrants. That is their policy. They are so determined to pursue it they are willing to jeopardize the appropriations for one of the most important agencies of our government. the Department of Homeland Security. The President has used his legal authority to bring some fairness to our broken immigration system. If the Republicans think they can do it better. they have every right as the majority party in the House and the Senate to offer legislation. But with the Homeland Security Department facing a shutdown in just 3 weeks. we dont have time for these symbolic votes in the House bill on the floor.