Speech #1140075675

President. I am proud to recognize Ms. Esther Olavarria. an extraordinary public servant who has worked for decades to build an immigration system that is fair and just for all. I know Esther from her time in the Senate as Senator Kennedys lead advisor on immigration matters for the Judiciary Committee. In the Senate and more recently in the administration. Esthers intelligent. thoughtful advice and analysis has been invaluable. She is stepping down this week after serving as senior counselor to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Johnson. I have no doubt the Secretary will miss her. as I do here in the Senate. Esther was an early appointee of the Obama administration. serving first as a member of the Presidents transition team on immigration. then as the Departments Deputy Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Border Security and later as counselor to Secretary Janet Napolitano. During that time she advocated fixing our Nations broken immigration system and the pressing need to provide protection for asylees and refugees. improve detention conditions. and ensure accountability and transparency in immigration enforcement. In 2013. Esther was asked to serve as the White House Director of Immigration Reform. Her wealth of experience made her an invaluable asset in our bipartisan effort to pass the Border Security. Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act in 2013. The bill overwhelmingly passed the Senate with the bipartisan support of 68 Senators. I remain disappointed that that important bill was not taken up in the House. and I hope the Senate will one day turn again to this legislation. When we do. I know that Esther will be ready to provide her support once again as she has so many times when the Senate has turned its focus to the issue of immigration. In the Senate. Esther understood the importance of working across the aisle to get something done.