On the recordFebruary 14, 2017
There are few places that encapsulate all our country has to offer more than my home city of Chicago. The strengths of the Nation can be seen in every corner of my district, where we celebrate diversity, passion, and resilience. This includes our immigrant communities, and I am proud to represent one of the most welcoming cities to those seeking a better life in America. That is why it is ridiculous to hear the President continue his bizarre barrage of attacks against our great city with his newest and most misguided claim yet, that elevated gun violence in Chicago stems from undocumented immigrants. Not only do his comments do nothing to address the gun violence problem in Chicago, but they are just plain wrong. Like most major cities, we struggle with violence and encourage constructive assistance. But studies have shown that immigration has no effect on crime rates. In fact, researchers have found immigrants generally have the strongest incentives to avoid activity that will put them in contact with the criminal justice system. The President should stop attacking the most vulnerable members of our society and, instead, look for pragmatic, commonsense policies to support comprehensive immigration reform and gun violence prevention. ____________________
