[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 36 (Monday, February 24, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H735-H736]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HAITIAN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Puerto Rico (Mr. Hernandez) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, last week, I met with priests and leaders 
of the Haitian immigrant community in Puerto Rico. I heard their 
accounts of what has been happening since ICE began its raids. The 
stories were devastating and demoralizing.
  Mr. Speaker, imagine living in Puerto Rico for 40 years, building a 
life, raising children, and contributing to our economy, and facing the 
fear of being unfairly deported to a country you barely know, one 
devastated by violence and disaster.
  Mr. Speaker, imagine being a documented resident of Puerto Rico and 
being placed under arrest, simply because you looked or sounded like an 
undocumented immigrant.
  Mr. Speaker, imagine needing medical care but being too afraid to 
leave your home and seek help out of fear of being detained and 
deported.
  This is not justice, and as our former Governor, Luis Munoz Marin, 
once said: Injustice towards some is injustice towards all.
  Beyond the ethical concerns, beyond the moral concerns, and beyond 
the emotional concerns that these injustices raise, there are practical 
consequences that I urge the administration to consider. The 
persecution of documented immigrants hurts our communities, our 
economy, and our businesses.
  Businesses in Puerto Rico and across the United States are suffering 
because immigrants are too afraid to go to work, seek services, or even 
buy food. I have heard stories of construction workers who don't show 
up to work and of local restaurants that have suddenly changed their 
business model from dining-in to delivery. Barrio Obrero, a Dominican 
neighborhood in San Juan, is not what it used to be.
  We are doing our best to protect immigrants and ensure they are 
treated with dignity and respect. That is why on January 27 I sent an 
oversight letter, along with the chair of the Congressional Hispanic 
Caucus, Adriano Espaillat, to demand answers from DHS and ICE on 
wrongful tactics used by agents that have caused considerable distress 
within communities in Puerto Rico and across the country. To date, DHS 
and ICE have not adequately answered our questions.
  On January 29, I personally called the Puerto Rico Association of 
Mayors and asked them to provide as much assistance as legally possible 
to protect our immigrant communities.
  On February 6, I joined Congressman Espaillat in introducing H.R. 
1061, which would prevent immigration enforcement at sensitive 
locations, such as churches and schools, so that migrants can safely 
visit.
  Our message to the immigrant communities in Puerto Rico and the 
United States is simple: You are not alone, and we will keep fighting 
for you.
  Now for the interests of my constituents, I will repeat my remarks in 
Spanish.
  (Spanish translation of the statement made in English is as follows:)
  Senor Presidente, La semana pasada me reuni con sacerdotes y lideres 
de la comunidad inmigrante haitiana en Puerto Rico. Escuche sus relatos 
sobre lo que ha estado ocurriendo desde que ICE comenzo sus redadas. 
Las historias eran devastadoras y desmoralizantes.
  Imagine vivir en Puerto Rico por 40 anos--construir una vida, criar 
hijos, contribuir a nuestra economia--y enfrentarse al temor de ser 
deportado injustamente a un pais que apenas conoces, un pais devastado 
por la violencia y los desastres.
  Imagina ser un residente documentado de Puerto Rico y ser arrestado--
simplemente porque ``parecias'' o ``sonabas'' como un inmigrante 
indocumentado.
  Imagina necesitar atencion medica, pero tener demasiado miedo de 
salir de tu hogar y buscarla por temor a ser detenido y deportado.
  Esto no es justicia, y como dijo una vez nuestro exgobernador Luis 
Munoz Marin, ``en la larga historia de los pueblos, lo que es injusto 
para algunos, es injusto para todos''.
  Mas alla de las preocupaciones eticas, morales y emocionales que 
generan estas injusticias, hay consecuencias practicas que insto a la 
administracion a considerar. La persecucion de inmigrantes documentados 
perjudica nuestra economia, nuestros negocios y nuestras comunidades.
  Los negocios en Puerto Rico y en Estados Unidos estan sufriendo. 
Hemos oido historias de trabajadores de la industria de construccion 
que no llegan a su lugar de trabajo. Hemos oido historias de 
restaurantes que han tenido que cambiar su modelo de negocio de cenar 
en el restaurante a hacer entrega.
  Los negocios en Puerto Rico, en lugares como Barrio Obrero, se han 
visto profundamente afectados, y las comunidades no son lo que eran 
antes.
  Estamos haciendo todo lo posible para proteger a los inmigrantes y 
garantizar que sean tratados con dignidad, con respeto y como seres 
humanos.
  Por eso, el 27 de enero, lidere una carta junto con el presidente del 
Caucus Hispano del Congreso, Adriano Espaillat, exigiendo respuestas de 
DHS y de ICE sobre las tacticas erroneas utilizadas por los agentes en 
estas redadas. Hasta la fecha, no hemos recibido respuestas 
satisfactorias.
  El 29 de enero, llame personalmente a la Asociacion de Alcaldes y les 
pedi que brindaran toda la asistencia posible, dentro de la legalidad, 
a nuestras comunidades inmigrantes. Y el 6 de febrero, me uni al 
congresista Espaillat para presenter el Proyecto de ley con el fin de 
proteger los lugares sensibles de redadas.
  Nuestro mensaje para las comunidades inmigrantes en Puerto Rico y en 
Estados Unidos es simple: no estan solos y seguiremos luchando por 
ustedes.

[[Page H736]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Puerto Rico will provide 
a translation to the Chair.

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