Sheila Jackson Lee: “Quickly, fentanyl is not an immigration issue. It is a criminal issue, a crime issue. It is where we have to come…”

“Quickly, fentanyl is not an immigration issue. It is a criminal issue, a crime issue. It is where we have to come together with our law enforcement across America. What I will say, the utilization of State laws that effectively are not governed by the Constitution, States do not have immigration authority, and blocking the Border Patrol is not an effective immigration tool. Causing a mother and two of her children to die is not an immigration tool. I don't want to be a part of it. I want to be a part of the work that the President is doing. I thank the President and Vice President. I want this House to be helping in this work so that we can, in fact, have border solutions that work, where visas are able to be given to the appropriate people. Limiting or removing parole does not work. Additionally, 8.3 million relatives of U.S. citizens and legal residents are awaiting a green card. That does not work. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an article written by David J. Bier titled: ``8.3 Million Relatives of U.S. Citizens & Legal Residents Awaited Green Cards in 2022.'' [May 17, 2023] 8.3 Million Relatives of U.S. Citizens & Legal Residents Awaited Green Cards in 2022 (By David J. Bier) The United States hit a new record of about 8.3 million immigrants at various stages in its family-sponsored permanent residence process in 2022--an increase of nearly 1 million since 2019.…”