Luz Rivas: “happy birthday to the greatest State in the Union. Mr. Speaker, 175 years ago, California was admitted as the 31st State…”

“happy birthday to the greatest State in the Union. Mr. Speaker, 175 years ago, California was admitted as the 31st State in the Union. For 175 years, California was built by people from across the globe who came in search of a better life. This includes my mother, who immigrated to the San Fernando Valley in the 1960s and worked multiple jobs so that my sister and I could live out the American Dream. Stories like mine are what make California great, and it is what has made California special for the past 175 years. Generations of immigrants, workers, dreamers, and innovators have propelled California forward and made it a beacon for the rest of the Nation. Those advancements did not come without challenges, and communities across our State currently face threats to their livelihoods that directly challenge our State's values. Because of the Trump administration, many in my district and across the State live under fear that ICE will tear their family apart. In just 9 months, Trump has manufactured a crisis that harms our most vulnerable, including students starting a new school year, senior citizens, young children, and disabled individuals. He is detaining hardworking individuals who are in this country legally and providing for their families so they, too, can have a chance at their American Dream. I know California, and Californians are tough and resilient.”