Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill for fiscal year 2014. My amendment is intended to restore the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties to fiscal year '13 levels by transferring $3,346,000 into the Office of the Secretary and Executive Management. The amendment is wholly offset. It is budget-neutral. Mr. Chairman, as you know, the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties is an integral part of ensuring that our rights and values are carried out through the Department of Homeland Security. Today, it is even more important than ever to ensure that this Office is adequately funded. While this body continues to increase funding for immigration enforcement--and we expect even more funding and personnel to be added in any comprehensive immigration reform bill that we adopt--it is essential that we maintain adequate safeguards to protect our rights and liberties. I offered a similar amendment last year that sought to provide the office funding that it requested to adequately review 287(g) and Secure Communities programs, and I thank the chairman and the ranking member for directing $2.39 million to be used for review of these 287(g) programs. As I mentioned last year, I remain gravely concerned about any 287(g) programs that have been found to facilitate racial profiling in our communities or enforcement programs that make it harder for immigrants, especially women victims, to get help from the police.…”