Roland Gutierrez: “I rise to discuss ways we can work together to create an immigration system that better reflects the enormous…”

“I rise to discuss ways we can work together to create an immigration system that better reflects the enormous contributions immigrants make every day, respects our Nation's proud history of welcoming men and women to seek a better life, and better protects our homeland by bringing people out of the shadows. And today I thought we could continue our discussion of mending borders with a quote. The late Senator Robert F. Kennedy once said, ``Our attitude toward immigration reflects our faith in the American ideal. We have always believed it possible for men and women who start at the bottom to rise as far as their talent and energy allow. Neither race nor place of birth should affect their chances.'' Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, our current immigration system is falling far short of those ideals. But it is my hope that we can work in a bipartisan fashion to ensure that our Nation's immigration policies and the practices better embody Senator Kennedy's eloquent words. Because the struggling farm worker in Washington State who endures brutal working conditions and little pay to support his family deserves the right to be treated with dignity and to have a clear path to permanency for his sacrifice. Because the restaurant worker in Chicago who each day faces endless hours of washing dishes in the dank basements of our swankiest eateries to support her children has earned the right to keep her family together without fear of deportation.…”