Adriano Espaillat: “I rise on behalf of every single TPS holder, DACA recipient, essential worker, and farmworker in this country who have…”

“I rise on behalf of every single TPS holder, DACA recipient, essential worker, and farmworker in this country who have pleaded for this Congress to act; not just today, Madam Speaker, but for the last 35 years. During the pandemic, our Nation's undocumented immigrants rose to the occasion. They kept our grocery shelves stocked, packing warehouses running, and cleaning and sanitizing businesses, caring for our families--particularly our seniors, Madam Speaker--and delivering food right to our doorsteps while this country came to a standstill--to a halt. Our praise and lip service are simply not enough. How can we build back better without delivering for those who delivered for us-- literally delivered for us--during this pandemic? Building back better means providing real reform for our undocumented neighbors. There are about 5 million undocumented immigrants who risked their lives during the worst pandemic in our history. They risked their lives each and every day, and the countless more that kept this country afloat, like our more than 30,000 DACA recipients who stepped up for us and worked on the front lines as physicians, residents, nurses, and paramedics. Madam Speaker, let's stand up for immigrants. ____________________”