Washington D.C. ---- 

Madame Speaker, today I rise to introduce a private immigration relief bill for several Chicagoans who remain in daily jeopardy because they seek a path to citizenship in the United States.

            Over the past few years, I have met with several residents in my community and heard detailed accounts of abuse by the Department of Homeland Security and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. 

            I was told stories of children being ripped from the arms of their parents by immigration enforcement officers toting machine guns and aiming their weapons at family members.

            I was told stories of mothers who had lived in the United States for years, bore children, paid taxes and owned a homes—but still faced deportation because they hadn’t met all the standards required for citizenship in our country.

            There were numerous stories of immigrants who were being sponsored by their sick and ailing family members—mothers, husbands, children and babies; who were thrown off the path towards citizenship because of tragic illnesses resulting in death.

            Madame Speaker, we all understand the debate on illegal immigration strikes considerable emotion and debate; however, my legislation today is in support of average people who were trying to do the right thing.

            Every name on this private bill:  Elvira Arellano, Juan Carlos Arreguin, Martín Guerrero Barrios, Maria I. Benítez, Francisco J. Castro, Jaime Cruz, Martha Dávalos, Herminio Dávalos, Adan Disifredo Delvalle, Angel Espinosa, Verónica Lopez, Francisca Lino, Maria A. Martín, Juan Jose Mesa, Maria Natividad Loza, Blanca E. Nolte, Domenico Papaianni, Romina Perea, Juan Jose Rangel Sr., Dayron S. Rios Arenas, Araceli Zepeda, Doris Oneida Ulloa and Bladimir I. Caballero, Arnulfo Alfaro, Consuelo and Juan Manuel Castellanos, Eliseo Pulido, Gilberto Romero, Maria Liliana Rua-Saenz, Tomas F. Martinez-Garcia, Flor Crisostomo; Fatuma Karuma, Stanislaw Rychtarczyk, Slobodan Radanovich, Agustin Sanchez-Dominguez, are victims of circumstance.

            They all want a chance to stay with their families in the United States, make an honest living and pursue the American dream.  I call on my colleagues to support this legislation and the immediate consideration of immigrant visas, adjustments of status for permanent residence, and practical paths towards citizenship for the above immigrants.

Thank you Madame Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.