On the recordApril 30, 2025
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, when we took office, we swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. It was a promise to the American people that we would uphold the law, protect their rights, and defend our democracy. Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was living legally in the United States, was wrongfully disappeared to a horrific prison in El Salvador because of an administrative error. This week, U.S. citizens in Oklahoma were dragged out of their home while ICE agents, with no warrant for them, took their phones, laptops, and life savings, even though they weren't the suspects in question. One of the most basic rights guaranteed in our Constitution is the right to due process. The Due Process Clause in the Fifth Amendment and 14th Amendment demands that you cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property without the due process of law. That means a fair hearing, a chance to be heard, and a chance to defend yourself in court. That is the standard. Mr. Speaker, our immigration system is broken, and I will work with anyone in a bipartisan way to fix it. Yet, that is not what is happening here. Weaponizing fears and frustrations as a justification for interning innocent people in a foreign prison is unacceptable and unconstitutional. Everyone deserves due process in court with evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. If we don't defend these rights now, who is next: our neighbor, our family, or us? Affording due process is not being soft on crime.…





