Political Quotes

“During markup and at the Committee on Rules, I submitted an amendment to ensure that immigration judges have the discretion to decide if a DUI conviction actually merits deportation for green card holders and others here lawfully. It would have allowed judges to merely consider mitigating factors, such as if anyone was harmed or the length of time since they were convicted of a DUI. This is a commonsense amendment that would have made the bill substantially fairer. Unfortunately, the amendment was rejected. There are Members and former Members of this body right here in Congress who have been arrested and convicted of a DUI, and I would just ask that the charity and the grace that we extend for second chances to those people would extend also to those green card holders, including those who have been here for decades. Let's just give a judge the chance to determine whether their conviction merited deportation, let alone that second chance. Madam Speaker, this bill does nothing but scapegoat immigrants for so-called DUIs, and I urge my colleagues to reject the bill.”