Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, this is an attempt to codify a 2013 USCIS memo establishing parole in place for unlawful aliens, spouses, children, and parents of Active-Duty forces. While I support the underlying rationale behind this amendment and also that policy, I cannot support this because it is too vague, broad, and ambiguous, and it does not accomplish the purpose for which it is intended. The purpose is to protect those servicemembers. Mr. Chairman, I will tell you what this does is we don't even ask the servicemember if they want that person here. So if the person is a victim of domestic violence, escaping a spouse who is following them, there is no provision to even ask the spouse: Do you want this person to be living close to you that you are trying to escape? It does not take into account any underlying crimes that that person may or may not have committed. Whether it is domestic violence, sexual battery, it puts the other servicemembers at risk when we don't. Mr. Chairman, specifically, the memo provided that these relatives or anyone who has ever served in the U.S. Armed Forces for any period of time, with or without regard to whether the discharge was honorable or dishonorable, is eligible to receive parole on a categorical basis. Mr. Chairman, we can't honor folks who have been dishonorably discharged. We are not honoring the rest of our soldiers when we honor just anyone.…”