On the recordFebruary 13, 2018
as people around the Nation listen to this floor debate, I am sure they can hear the divisions about immigration loud and clear. I know I can. Immigration policy is hard, it is emotional, and it has vexed this Congress for decades. While the floor debate we are having right now can be trying and can be thrown off-kilter by one more ill-timed tweet from the President, we have to keep our eyes on the ball because as tough as it may seem right here, the stakes are so much higher for millions of people who live every day in this country, trapped in a broken immigration system. They face the constant fear of deportation, and they suffer from the threat of being ripped apart from their families, their friends, and the communities that they love. Just like the deep divisions we see on this issue across the country, finding a path forward in the Senate, in the House, and all the way to the White House is not going to be easy, but tackling the tough issues and engaging in fair and honest debate is why we are here. Creating a more perfect union is why we are here. Finding a bipartisan path forward both to secure our borders and protect the futures of so many hard-working families is why we are here. First, we have to agree to some basic truths. To start, Dreamers-- hundreds of thousands of our friends and neighbors, our teachers, firefighters, servicemembers, and students--are not criminals.…
