Ayanna Pressley: “I thank Chairman Nadler for yielding. Madam Speaker, the tragic events of this week underscore both our responsibility…”

“I thank Chairman Nadler for yielding. Madam Speaker, the tragic events of this week underscore both our responsibility and the urgency we must move to legislate our values and to stand on the side of justice. I represent Massachusetts Seventh, a district which is 40 percent immigrants. I rise today in solidarity with them. H.R. 6 is a critical step towards citizenship for Dreamers, TPS, and DED holders. However, the criminal bar provisions added to this bill further entangles our racist criminal legal system in the citizenship process. I thank Congressman Garcia and partners for leading the fight to eliminate this language. There is more work to be done, but this bill moves us in the right direction of a more just America, one which values the lives of immigrants and not just their labor.”