Hilda L. Solis: “last week the world witnessed the devastating impact of one of the greatest calamities the United States has ever faced.…”

“last week the world witnessed the devastating impact of one of the greatest calamities the United States has ever faced. Hurricane Katrina left hundreds of thousands of people without their livelihood and homes and many more without a sense of hope and esperanza. As shelters across the United States open their arms to evacuees, we must remember all the vulnerable communities which are suffering tremendously in the wake of this natural disaster, including the immigrant population that resides in the embattled areas of the Nation. More than 150,000 Hondurans, 100,000 Mexicans, and a host of other individuals who live in that particular area, these are immigrants and their families who have contributed significantly to the social and economic fabric of the gulf coast, working in casinos, on farms, in hotels, construction sites, and also in janitorial services. I feel strongly that these immigrants and their families cannot be forgotten in this crisis. Just as we embrace all the victims of disaster, I hope and I know that the Federal Government will do the same without regard to race, ethnicity, and country of origin. Let us not forget that these individuals contribute every single day to our Nation. ____________________”