Patsy T. Mink: “I believe that it is too restrictive. Law enforcement officers should be allowed to stay in at least until age 60 years…”

To state that legal permanent residents should only be allowed to exercise their constitutional right of free speech when they become U.S. citizens displays a dangerous misunderstanding of constitutional law.

Although adopting these bills through a series of continuing resolutions is very costly to the taxpayers, it provides us with time to debate and amend these measures properly and constitutionally.

Any class of citizens having to prove their citizenship in order to exercise their basic first amendment right is an insult to all U.S. citizens.

The bill must originate in the House of Representatives. We must be given the opportunity to debate and amend this measure.