"This subcommittee has played a critical role in helping communities like mine overcome the many issues the COVID-19 pandemic has presented us over the past 2 years."
"Congress is not doing its job, loves to point the finger, loves to shirk from its responsibility."
"I apologize to you, your family and your staff for the sickening, breathtakingly xenophobic political theater that has occurred at this hearing."
"To those who are, let it be absolutely clear that the majority of my Republican colleagues are showing you the American people that they are not interested in addressing our country's challenges."
"Governor Abbot has engaged in all sorts of antics that have shut down the border."
"Their strategy is don't reform outdated immigration laws and only deter at the border. Hasn't worked."
"The best thing Congress can do today right now to help alleviate some of the horrors of human trafficking is pass immigration reform."
"It is clear that the policies championed by my Republican colleagues... have actually fueled human trafficking."
"Obviously when you cut off legal pathways... immigrants and refugees will seek irregular pathways making them vulnerable to human traffickers."
"I am the only Member of Congress on this Committee who actually represents a border community."
"I wish we could all recognize that failure and the opportunity."