Joe Garcia

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I agree with the gentleman from Colorado. By the way, I love the fact you refer to me as the gentleman from Miami. I always thought we should have our own State. Let me just mention that there is a very good article that was written last year in July by Jennifer Rubin in The Washington Post. It sort of listed all these phoney arguments that we have. The first: the Senate bill is dead on arrival. We have heard this from the Speaker before. We have heard no agreements, no comprises. We heard that VAWA, the Violence Against Women Act, was going to be dead or, as they said, they were going to write their own. Well, of course, nothing came and we passed the Violence Against Women Act, which we should have passed earlier on. The second argument: the Senate bill isn't strong enough on border security. Well, the Senate bill spends more money on border security, almost an insane amount. That is why we took it out of our bill, because we didn't think that this House would look at such an expensive bill. But the question is: Is what we have better than what we are looking at? Of course, the answer is, no, we are not moving forward. This one is the one I love, but it is more of a Herman Cain type argument: the bill is long. This is a very complex issue and, of course, it is long because we are trying to solve worker issues, we are trying to solve innovation issues, we are trying to solve a lot of important things that affect us all. The fourth argument: the Obama administration won't enforce it. Well, here I have to say that Obama must be one of anti-immigration's favorite Presidents because he has deported more people than any President before. In October, I think we reached 2 million people being deported. That is thousands upon thousands of families destroyed; that is workers being taken out of the economy. That is what the President did.

Mr. GARCIA. Yes, of course, I will yield to the gentleman.

Mr. GARCIA. That is exactly right. Another argument: you can't bring in low-skilled workers. Well, the bracero program proved that when you had a functioning program illegal immigration went down, not up. We know that for a fact. Here is what we also know. When President Reagan had an immigration bill, we know that the salaries for the middle class and working class went up for 5 years in a row because it worked. The seventh argument: there aren't enough high-skilled workers being allowed in. All right, so let's write legislation that increases the high-skilled labor. ``Republicans don't need to pass immigration reform to keep their House seats.'' Well, if it doesn't affect their House seats, then why are they opposed to it? And, more importantly, this is, of course, the silliest of arguments when you understand the demographics. I know I have spoken to this with the gentleman from Colorado. When you look at the high water mark of a Republican Presidential race, it was achieved by George Bush, a pro-immigrant President; but when you look behind those numbers, and you look at the 44 percent that he achieved nationally, what you realize is he didn't receive those numbers from second- and third-generation Americans. He received it from first- generation Americans voting, and voting over 50 percent for George Bush for President. This is something that is a commonsense thing and makes sense for it. The ninth argument: it was passed too quickly in the Senate. Well, unlike the House, they have had long debates on this. They had weeks of hearings, they had bipartisan meetings for over a year before, they had the commitment of the President of the Senate, the majority leader of the Senate to get this done. Look, I could go on and on; but I think what is clear is that we can make a lot of silly arguments, but the time has come to act. We were promised by the Speaker that this would be taken up and it hasn't. The time has come to move forward. This is the time for immigration reform. It is good for the country, it is good for these folks, it is good for everyone. I yield to the gentleman from Colorado.

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Caardenas), who is a hard fighter for these issues. I want to first relate a story. I was debating, the other day, a friend on this issue. He made what he thought was a commonsense argument. He said, Joe, if somebody broke into your house, you would like them to be arrested, right? I said: Well, the truth is, if somebody broke into my House and filled my refrigerator with fresh fruit and vegetables, if they took care of my mom and got my kid to school, if they then went outside and cut the lawn and painted the house, worked on the roof, I think I might owe them money. The reality is these folks are an essential part of our country. They make us work and they make us better. With that, I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. GARCIA. I thank the gentleman from California for those wonderful words. I yield to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis).

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. I thank the gentleman from Florida. Madam Speaker, I don't know of any other district in the United States that more clearly shows the economic contributions of immigrants than my own. You see it everywhere, from the languages spoken on the street to the diverse businesses on every corner. Miami is a town built by immigrants. It is a perfect example of what happens when, instead of forcing people to live in the shadows, you welcome immigrants and you allow them to work and become valued members of the community. Over the last 50 years, south Florida has seen unprecedented growth and has become the gateway to Latin America and its economy. None of this--none of this--would be possible without the hard work of immigrants who came to my community searching for the American Dream, just like my parents did. I would like to share a few of their stories. Jose lives in Homestead. It is an area in my district that produces nearly half of the winter vegetables consumed in the entire United States. He came to this country in 1986 and, despite his best efforts, was unable to gain status. Even after suffering from a workplace accident that resulted in his finger being amputated and another in which he injured his back and arm, he still wakes up every day at 5 a.m. to do whatever needs to be done on the farm, from cleaning to planting to packing. Jose's wife was deported. He is now the primary breadwinner for his family. Both of his parents died in Mexico. He was unable to say good-bye. Jose does his job, pays his taxes, and serves as an advocate and mentor for other farmworkers, but our immigration system has done nothing but turn a blind eye to his sacrifice. Lourdes started working in the fields at the age of 10, picking asparagus, tomatoes, and cucumbers all over the east coast. Despite having to drop out of high school because of the work and the constant moving, Lourdes eventually was able to complete her social work degree 20 years after she started, and all of her children have been able to go to college. Last year, she was recognized by the White House as a champion of change and is now an advocate for the farmworker community and is a proud champion of immigration reform. And finally, I want to talk about someone who is sitting in the gallery, Secia Soza. Until the age of 8, she had always assumed that she had been born in the United States, like her brother. While she eventually was granted deferred action, both of her parents have been deported. Neither were criminals. In fact, her father owned a small business. There are millions of Joses and Lourdeses and Secias. They grow our food, they build our homes, and they care for our families. They often work at jobs that no one wants and start businesses that create jobs when there were none before and in areas where they are needed most. Our Nation would not be the society it is today without the generations of immigrants who came to our shores searching for a better life. The 11 million undocumented individuals living here today are no different. They are American in every way but on paper. If we want to secure our economic future, we need to fix our broken immigration system in a way that addresses our need for immigrant workers and recognizes the incredible sacrifices and hard work that immigrants endure. Jose, Lourdes, and Secia have waited long enough. The time to pass immigration reform is now. If the gentleman from Colorado would permit, I also want to recognize those folks who labor in my community at this a long time. They spend enormous hours and effort trying to pass this. From our communities they come here and make a difference. We thank them. Some of them are in the audience today. I appreciate their work. Among them, Nora Santiago, has done a wonderful job for years, not only in moving the issue but in caring for some of these children that get left behind when their parents get deported. With that, I yield to the gentleman from Colorado.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an exemplary Christian whose life of service to both God, and her fellow man, was an inspiration to both her children and her community. Jeanet Hall passed away on Thursday, November 21st, 2013 at the age of 76. Though she is no longer with us, she leaves behind a lifetime of selflessness. Jeanet lived for her family, attending to her seventeen children, sixty eight grandchildren, sixty-three great grandchildren, ten great-great grandchildren, three adopted daughters; two nephews, two nieces, two great nephews, one great niece; and two Godchildren. All the while, she was also involved in ministry at Bethel Baptist Church and served faithfully in the choir, driving the bus for the Evangelism Ministry and attending all special programs and church activities. I extend my condolences to Jeanet's family and friends, but may they, as well as all of us, take strength in the selfless contributions and sincere love that Jeanet has left for us to emulate.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a woman whose commitment to improving the lives of children in the Florida Keys is only eclipsed by her success in doing so. In her eighteen years as President and CEO of the Florida Keys Children's Shelter, Kathy Tuell has served the needs of hundreds of children still without a family to call their own. These efforts proved fruitful during her participation in the federal workgroup that established basic standards for programs funded under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act. It is my pleasure to congratulate Ms. Tuell for her recognition as one of this year's Angels in Adoption by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. I commend Ms. Tuell for her accomplishments and service, as she serves as an exemplar citizen and advocate of the less fortunate.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mrs. Irene Staggers Harris, whose tireless efforts within her parish, as well as her community, have earned her the title of Bishop. The daughter of the late Pastor Arthur Staggers, Mrs. Staggers Harris has a lifetime of faithful church attendance, dedication, and ministry work. She began as an Ordained Elder in Greater St. Matthews Church in Florida City. With her leadership the ministry began to flourish and grow, advancing the increase of new Ministers and Deacons, and various other church initiatives. She also helped develop The Greater Love Daycare, Inc. which provides low-income parents with affordable pre- schooling for their children, and serves on the board of the South-Dade Ministerial Allowance, which is focused on crime prevention efforts in Homestead and Florida City Communities. Because of these accomplishments, Mrs. Staggers Harris was considered and recently ordained bishop in the Shekinah Glory Deliverance Churches. I applaud Mrs. Staggers Harris for her accomplishments and new designation. May she continue to lead and inspire her community through the grace of God.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to welcome to the House of Representatives five selfless individuals, courageous reformers who have made a tremendous sacrifice to raise awareness for the need of immigration reform. They are truly deserving not only of our applause, but also of our admiration. After fasting for over 3 weeks, these committed reformers have successfully drawn attention to the pressing need to pass immigration reform. As Members of Congress, we cannot ignore the steadfast devotion of these advocates through further inaction. Along with the majority of this country and the majority of the House of Representatives, these tremendous leaders know we need comprehensive immigration reform now. Unfortunately, the House leadership continues to irresponsibly block commonsense, bipartisan reform by refusing to let the full House vote. Mr. Speaker, these leaders need more than applause. They deserve a vote, and they deserve it now.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, the following are stories of individuals affected by our nation's broken immigration system: Story 1: I have been in this country for five years. I came from my country, Honduras, because I was a victim of domestic violence from my father. When I reported the abuses I was in danger because there were gangs that threatened me, and I was very scared. I was able to leave my country with no problems, thank God. I sought the opportunity to continue studying but I was asked for papers and they required me to have legal status. I waited for the Dream Act because, at the time, I was hearing a lot of talk about it. But, unfortunately, I didn't qualify for deferred action. I got desperate because I didn't want to spend much time without continuing my studies. A friend of mine suggested I go to Canada. When I was crossing through Buffalo, six immigration officials stopped me and treated me very badly. I told them that I was not a criminal and asked them not to treat me like that. I didn't resist, behave violently, or do anything for them to treat me like that. They made me feel like the worst person in this country, just because I didn't have documents. I just wanted the opportunity to continue my studies and I wanted for them to help me. I entered a jail with criminals, with women I had never seen in my life, that scared me just by looking at them. I could not sleep, could not eat in peace. I just kept thinking that at any moment there could be violence. Thank God my fiance's family and church members raised the money to pay $10,000, and now I'm waiting for the court because I have been given a deportation order. I don't want to continue living in the shadows. We are not criminals. We are people with dreams, with the same heart, the same blood that runs through our veins. We are people just like the citizens here. We are also part of this country, this is our home. Despite everything I've always considered it my home because I'm thankful I am here and that I'm still alive. If I would have stay in my country I would've died a long time ago. I only ask for immigration reform to take place soon, because the future of so many people is at stake. Update: Her deportation order has been postponed until 2014. Her child is due in September of 2013. Story 2. I support a roadmap to citizenship, as a woman that came to this country 18 years ago and that have been through some hard times. Thank the Lord, today I am a U.S. citizen, and my children are U. S.-born citizens. I support a roadmap to citizenship for all the people that are suffering, that don't have a driver's license, that don't have documents and are afraid to lose their families. I have an uncle who I adore and who is always afraid just with the thought that he could be deported one day, that's why I say yes to a roadmap to citizenship for all the people who are contributing to this country. Story 3: I say yes to citizenship. I am Cuban, even though I was not [undocumented] when I came to this country I understand the need for the sisters and brother that are undocumented. I just heard the stories and what people feel when they have to drive, these are honest men and women that come to this country to give everything for their life. This is the land where honey and milk flow we are all immigrants and we need citizenship. Every person that does not have a criminal record should have citizenship. All those honest men and women, parents, grandparents, children without documents to go to school and who are getting behind because of not having their documents. Respond, Obama, and all members of Congress. We say yes to citizenship. I am involved even though I am already a citizen. We have to support our brothers and sisters in the name of Jesus. May God bless and grant them with great wisdom. In the name of Jesus. Story 4: I came to the United States in 1991. I planned to stay here for three years to finish my law degree. In 1994 I had an accident. That was my first battle. One can face many injustices in this country. I was denied medical attention at a hospital in Michigan. I did not have money, and since I wasn't covered by insurance I had to leave. I stayed in the state of Michigan with this issue until February 1995. Then I moved to New York. In New York I was diagnosed with a torn knee ligament (MCL) on my right knee. The cost of the surgery was $65,000. Therefore, I didn't have any other option than to go to Mexico. I had the surgery done after six months. I suffered a lot. Can you imagine? My right knee meniscus and ligaments were torn and the pain was unbearable. The hospital's policy of no discrimination posted on the walls in big bold letters is completely false. I had another accident in 2006 here in Immokalee, Florida. The lawyers of Azteca Supermarket tried to blackmail me with threats of calling immigration and many other threats of this kind. Then, I basically dropped the case after writing a letter to the judge in which I called the lawyers cannibals and the fact that they were lawyers didn't mean I couldn't press charges against them. The lawyers of Azteca Supermarket dropped the case as well. I have witnessed situations in which workers have been hit by their employers. In fact, I have experienced that same situation myself. When I was living in New York, I used to work at a store where a [Korean] hit me. I have witnessed many injustices in this country. We need comprehensive immigration reform so that employers stop abusing undocumented workers. Today I am diabetic, perhaps because I didn't get treatment on time. After my first accident I went through a period of depression and much suffering, watching how apathetic people were. I didn't comprehend how even though I was working, the hospitals here in United States wouldn't treat me. I was contributing to the economy of this country and the hospitals denied me the right to medical attention. There are many things I would like talk about, but time is short. I'd like to talk to Congress. I'd like to talk to the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and I'd like to tell them myself why it is important to have immigration reform. If we are contributing to this economy on a daily basis with our work and sweat, it is inhumane deny us medical attention, education and the opportunity to prepare ourselves to be better. I want to reiterate that is very important to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Story 5: Hello. I'm from Argentina, but I've been in the United States for 12 years. I am very appreciative of this country because it has opened doors for us, because we came from Argentina where things are really bad. Please, we need immigration reform, a path to citizenship, because we don't have driver's licenses, we don't have health insurance, and we don't have anything to help us stay safe in this country. We want to stay here, we're not going to leave, and for that I say yes to urgent immigration reform, yes to fast citizenship. I'm a 63-year-old grandmother, and I've worked a lot in Miami, but now we can't work nor do anything because we don't have papers. My daughter is unemployed because she doesn't have papers. She is 23 years old and doesn't have papers. I have married children, but they are married to undocumented people, not to people with papers. Please, we need urgent immigration reform. Story 6: I want to say yes to citizenship because I believe, just like me, so many good people have come to work in this country, to help and contribute to the economy. I have been living here for 15 years. I am a person like any other, and I believe and think that citizenship is necessary because we have earned it with our work and the sweat on our foreheads, and it would help us so much because we face too much discrimination in our jobs. They rob us, pay us low wages, and there has to be an end. Also, I'd like to say that if there is citizenship or a bill, it would be a great help to the economy of this country and I'd also like to say thank you to all of you for doing all of this, for making us a part of this huge force, and of course, yes to citizenship. Story 7: I am supporting immigration reform for citizenship. I am in this country illegally. I want to be a citizen so that I can contribute to this nation. Thank you very much. Story 8: It's been six years since I came from Mexico. I came to this country because the situation in Mexico is very critical. There's a lot of crime, you know. There are so many criminals who kill like it's nothing. There's no work. I say yes to immigration reform so that we can be American citizens. I also consider this country like my own, and I say yes to reform. Story 9: I am a native of Jalisco, Mexico, and I was born in 1969. I'm from a rural area in Jalisco. I came to the United States when I was 14 years old. I worked in a farm in Homestead, which opened opportunities for me in this country and I received my residency in '86. Now I am working with the University of Miami, and I volunteer with the Florida Farmers Association. The Association made me President of the Board of Directors, and now I am telling them that we can help reform our immigration system and asking them to support immigration reform if they can. This is what I'm doing for the immigrant community living in the country. Above all else, I am also asking that all the states in the United States approve driver's licenses because, independently of whether reform happens or not, people will come to this country with papers, they will overstay their visas, and stay undocumented. I am asking for reform for the immigrants that come to this country. Story 10: For me, it is very important that some kind of reform takes place because it is very difficult for us to stay here in this country with all the problems from the police regarding driver's licenses and without the benefits that everyone else gets. Many Americans consider us to be below them simply because we don't have papers, because we have no way to defend ourselves, because we are treated by the police, and all that. We should have so many more benefits so that we can hold a job. It is very difficult to keep a job without papers. I would like for undocumented immigrants to be okay in the United States like everyone else that has papers, for us to be okay with the law, because it is very difficult for me. Story 11: I am a farm worker, mainly working on farms picking oranges. I've had many jobs: picking apples, working with tobacco, and doing a lot of other agricultural work. Another thing, I am a citizen. My parents were in Texas when I was born. They worked there after they came from Mexico and they were undocumented. My relatives and I were born therein Texas during the World War, and the United States was fighting. This country needed a lot of manpower, so they let a lot of undocumented people in to work here because they needed to sustain the jobs here so that the country would survive. Because of this, there were many undocumented people here. When the war finished, the excuse they gave was that because the soldiers were returning here, they didn't need undocumented workers, so there were raids to return all the undocumented people and the families that had these groupings, including American citizens, and they sent us back to our countries. That happened when I was a child. Now the same thing is repeating but with a different excuse--now it's the economy, that's why they're sending them back to their countries. This thing is that people who are not from here are returning, they're returning to their families, their children, who are American citizens. Sometimes they deport the father or the mother or a few times both, and the kids stay separated from their parents. In this country it is presumed that families should be together, but for undocumented people, we're not given what everyone says we should have. What I'm saying here is that we have been living in this country for many, many years, so we need to do something. There needs to be reform to the existing immigration laws. We need to fight for immigration reform that can fix the existing problems, so that they can classify undocumented people who are here and unite families so that all the injustices that are occurring can stop. If you don't have a license, you're a criminal and they deport you. They separate families, and the kids are the ones that suffer. Now that President Obama was reelected, there a lot of possibility for immigration reform, but what do we have to do? We need to unite to achieve just reform in a way that everyone, or the majority, can qualify to receive their documents and can be here legally. Story 12: More than anything for me, I'd like them to give us the chance to visit our families and to be able to move, for work if not for anything else. We hope that there will be something that benefits all of us, not just me, but for everyone that needs it. I've been in the country for 12 years and until now we've been doing well, but because we don't have licenses, we can't go anywhere easily. But, as far as work and everything else we are all well, thank God. Story 13: I'm from Puerto Rico, and I live in Miami. I joined the caravan [organized by the Florida Immigrant Coalition to support immigration reform] because since I arrived in this country, I knew something was not right. There's a community of 11 million people that work hard for their country, this country, my country, but my country is punishing them. These people aren't criminals. I've met so many of them through the caravan and they are farmworkers-- maybe they're kicking them out because of that, because they're not engineers, or doctors--but these are the people that put my breakfast on the table every morning. Like I said, I'm from Miami, and all I have to do is go to the grocery store and buy some oranges. But I've met a lot of people that get up when the sun comes out, go to bed when the sun goes down, and on top of paying them so little, the city is trying to kick them out. When I was in school, I was taught the word ``democracy.'' My teacher taught me that in a democracy, as long as you do right, things will turn out right for you. And I'm seeing a lot of people that are doing things right but things are going right simply because they came from another place. Like I said earlier, it really hurts me to see someone from Mexico, or Peru, from wherever, that the department of immigration, local police, the federal government, sometimes President Obama, sometimes Republicans, sometimes Democrats treat them like less. I'm Puerto Rican, I'm an American citizen, and I am nothing better than these people. These people are so humble and work hard just like me, and this is what brings me to causes like this one. I met a young man who's Mexican who's hanging out with us, he has four children, he's incredibly humble, and he's a hard worker. The only crime he's done is to wake up every morning, go home every night, and put food on the table. That's his only crime, to put food on the table, to feed his kids who are U.S. citizens. Four kids that if they were to deport their dad, the kids would end up orphans. And it seems to me the government doesn't have an interest in more orphaned kids, the Department of Children and Families isn't asking for more orphans. You would think the government would want less. Story 14: I am here as a volunteer in the movement because, well, right now I personally work with immigrant families and see the destruction that exists in families, separating and deporting parents, including citizens who have children born here and those children are still suffering the consequences. And, personally, I have a daughter in Mexico and one in California. My daughter who is in California is illegal as well, unfortunately. And my daughter who is in Mexico does not have the same opportunities as my daughter here. I haven't seen my daughter or her family in 18 years. My grandchildren in California do not know my grandchildren in Mexico, and it is a very great sadness that I carry. Every time I look at the separated families, even though it hasn't affected me directly if, for example, my son or my husband were the deported, the fact that my daughters have not seen each other for so many years, that my grandchildren will not know each other each other-- it hurts. I see so many families dealing with this type of separation in my daily work. These families ask me for help because they know I can help them with transportation, translation, or filling out paperwork. But unfortunately I cannot do much for them, even though I whole-heartedly want to. I do what I can but others can do more. I am in this caravan hoping that immigration reform can benefit all families, including mine.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize November as the Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice of the Florida Keys Month. Twenty-nine years ago, VNA Hospice of the Florida Keys began providing specialized home health care services to the residents of Monroe County. Today, thanks to the organization's continued and dedicated service, it stands as a beacon in the home health care industry. The work they do is vital in empowering patients to live their lives fully and providing comfort in their time of need. Home health care services provide essential benefits to my community and those across the country. The VNA Hospice, for instance, has donated almost half a million dollars in charity care to residents in my district over the last two years alone. In celebration of November, Home Care and Hospice Month, I would like to extend my congratulations and sincere thanks to the VNA Hospice for 29 years of excellent service.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, the following are stories of individuals affected by our nation's broken immigration system: Story 1: Legalization is necessary. There are many things that people don't know that the authorities do. In my case, I've lived through three or four accidents that I saw, and I am the only one who saw and I didn't testify because I'm scared. I think that because of that they closed a lot of cases. I'd like something to be done. Also, at work, there are three or four companies that haven't paid me and discriminate in a lot of things that happen. We, who work with meat, know a lot of things that aren't easy to say to anyone for fear of what that information would do and because of that, reform is necessary. I'm Mexican and I've been here for 21 years. Ultimately, the truth that I've seen a lot of things that shouldn't exist for human beings to practice these types of things. Because realistically, all of us deserve to live as best as possible and I think that there is a way that we can live and do whatever type of work, without being treated the way they treat us. We want to be welcome wherever we want to go. Story 2: I arrived in the United States approximately 25 years ago. Thank God I am now an American citizen, but I have many friends who suffer because they do not have their documents. One of the hardships is that they are not allowed to work or go to many places. For example, there are jobs that they are able to do, but they're not allowed into those places. So they can make $20 or $25 per hour, but they're making $15 or less because they can't go to the place, even though they can do the job. So I say yes to immigration reform because it helps the government as well. The government makes money for giving out papers. People are going to buy cars, they're going to buy houses, they're going to travel within the United States. So, the money that they're going to pay to get their papers is more than they contribute to the United States now. They will travel to their home countries to visit their parents, their siblings-- I think that will be something very good for the country as well. Story 3: I arrived 22 years ago from San Marcos, Guatemala. Thank God we had the opportunity to have papers, but we are here to support our people. We want everyone to be equal and to have the opportunity that we had. So it is great that there is a possibility at reform for all. The only thing we can do is support in any way we can--by meeting and being with them. I think that people can work legally and do many things. Story 4: I'm from Guatemala. I've been here with my wife for nine years and we are nothing in this country. We came here for the purpose of allowing our family to succeed. In Guatemala, the circumstances over there don't allow for success. For that reason, we came here to have a life a little better than what we had there. All we are asking is for the Senators and the people listening to this recording to support us because the majority of Hispanics that are in the United States are here to work and support this country. For that, we want to be heard and we want to say yes. We want to arrive to citizenship because we need it. You see on TV and in the news that many families are suffering and many families are crying. There have been many deportations, and we don't want that that continue. We want all families to feel happy and live happily here, but they're scared. We don't want people to continue living in fear. For that we make the invitation to collaborate, because everything we can do, we will do. We don't want racism, for example. Here there are various nationalities from various countries, and we are unified for this cause. We will continue uniting, for whatever work there is. I work in landscaping, cutting branches on trees, on palms, cleaning gardens. Right now, we don't have kids and my wife and I have been married for seven years. Story 5: I am originally from Guatemala. I immigrated to the United States in 1987 at age 18. I turned 18 while crossing the desert. There I celebrated my birthday. From there I went to work on a farm for three or four years. In that time, the situation was much more difficult, but I had the opportunity to work in different jobs. Around that time I was a beneficiary of the NACARA law, which allowed me to apply. I saw that the NACARA law benefitted me a lot because I was able to have some economic stability for my family. I have been married for 22 years, and I have a 19-year-old son. The NACARA law has always helped me, so of course I feel like there is a need for immigration reform because it would benefit my community so much. The people who are here can grow economically and help their families. They can create businesses and jobs in our country. That is why people emigrate here, because there are no jobs in their home countries. I don't know, governments don't invest in creating jobs and so people in immigration limbo don't want to invest because they don't know what will happen. I feel that it's a necessity, and I think we deserve it. We are working people. The majority that come here come for work. We don't come for public benefits. In my community, very few are the type to try to get social assistance. The majority, like my case, came and paid taxes, and they have been paying taxes since coming to the United States. They deported me in 1987 after I was detained in Krome. I was held in Krome for a month or a month and a half before they sent me to my land. It's very frustrating, because I'm from a town very far from the capital. At that time, it was about eight hours by truck. I didn't know anything when I arrived. I was in a city I had never been to before. It was very difficult, but I didn't turn back because I had no alternative. There was no work. I graduated with my Master's degree and came back here because there were no job opportunities there and because the political situation was very hard. Story 6: I've been in this country 17 years. I came alone, made my family here, so for sure my wife is here by my side. I have two daughters, one who is 13 years old, and I still have no papers. But I've kept going because now I have no choice but to keep fighting harder, for my daughters' benefit more than anything. I'm working and, I don't know, I hope that this immigration reform that they're fighting over will be given to us because it will allow us to benefit the country. For me and my kids, immigration reform will give them greater security to have their parents here in this country without having to hide from immigration and the police. For work, I can't drive a truck to get to my job. I have to go with someone that has a license to drive, and it's very much the difference in salary, even though I know the work and everything, it's a point less for me. That is the first thing for me. I want to buy a car or something that can benefit me and my family and help me to do my duty for this country. Up until now I've tried to not put myself into problems. I try not to go out too much or go to parties and things like that. I'm over that, and I'd rather be with my family and without any problems. But, I can't go wherever I want. My wife has family here, they all have papers. I haven't seen my family in 16 or 17 years. My boss fired me and I'd like to go to Mexico, but I can't because I wouldn't be able to come back. I have no other choice but to stay for my kids. Story 7: I'm a little nervous because my story is sad, but I'm now happy because I am without problems, without any preoccupation. They confused me with a certain person, but I never robbed anyone and I always maintained that it wasn't me. They received the evidence from the other person, it was very sad and painful, and because being in prison is not easy at all and is very unpleasant. It's very sad for people as well as their families. My family worried day and night, and I was wondering that I that I wouldn't get out, but with the will of God I got out with a $7,500 bail. I had about four court dates. They sent me to Krome, and from there I told the judge to give me voluntary leave to my country. When I left, they told me that I had to report to Mexican immigration. I went and entered and delivered a paper that they gave me, but I always knew that I wanted to return. I was in my country for a month, and then came back. Since then, thank God, I have not gotten in trouble. I don't drive, and I don't do anything because I am holding out because if God helps us with this reform we will come out ahead. Firstly to God, we ask a lot, to the congressmen, to the Senate and the President, that they have a lot of consideration for so many people who need equality. I came in April of 1990. I am Mexican, and all my siblings are citizens. I'm the only one who is not. I hope for the day when I can be equal to everyone else. Story 8: I'm a mother of two children who were born here in Florida. They deported my husband to Guatemala five years ago. We are united and want to ask Congress and the White House to support us, that yes we can, that now is the time for them to give us immigration reform. We are encountering many families going through difficult situations and we ask, we beg, we ask wholeheartedly, that we are supported in this country. All of us immigrants reinforce this country's economy. We beg that they give us immigration reform. They stopped my husband and asked for a license, which he didn't have. That was the reason they deported him. It's a very difficult case and my kids suffer a lot from the absence of their father. Story 9: I support immigration reform because I've encountered those problems. When I didn't have papers, I was always living in hiding and I do not want others to go through the same problem. I wish that everyone could have their papers to live in peace and tranquility. Story 10: I am an American citizen and I want to remind the Congressmen of the United States that my vote will go to the people who have humanity when it's time to decide on immigration reform. Make it a humane immigration reform, not one based on the whims of Congressmen. My vote will always be for the humane Congressmen. Immigration reform will help all those that don't have papers or a path to citizenship. We remember that there should be a path to citizenship with a quick process, not like what Senator Marco Rubio and his colleagues want. We will always vote against the people who think like that. Story 11: I'm Nicaraguan. I am 35 years old and came to this country 13 years ago. My dream is to bring my family to the United States. I came with just that one goal because the democratic system in my country doesn't work. I've lived through many hardships and because of those I immigrated to the United States. Now with 13 years here, we ask for immigration reform and the opportunity for citizenship because we want to be incorporated into society. We want to be a part of it. We want the opportunity to vote, to apply to whatever we need. Immigration reform will be good for the country as well as for us if we can contribute. My dream is to buy my house and continue in my studies because I don't want to stay stagnant. I want to move my daughters forward. I have two daughters; one was born in Nicaragua and the other is an American citizen who was born in this country. I can't imagine returning to my country, I don't have any plans to do so. I hope that the legislators and President Obama support reform, because now we are ready to be a part of this great country. Story 12: I've been here for 12 years, going on 13, and I brought my two daughters, when one was two and a half and the other was a year old. They believe that this is their country, and I do as well. I came here and we liked it. We came from my country because life is very difficult there. Now there's a lot of crime. I am Mexican and it is very hard to live there now. My daughters don't want to return to Mexico because of everything we've seen over there--a lot of crime, a lot of killing. There's no work, no way to move forward. My daughters say that this is their country, they are Mexican but they are home. They speak English and Spanish very well, but they say that all they know is this country. So I say yes to citizenship for all the people that are like me in this country. We don't have licenses to work or to even look for a job. I had a job and some people did me harm. They sent me a letter and fired me from the job, and now I am unemployed. I need to work to help my daughters get ahead, and so I say that now is the time that we help all people, the 11 million undocumented people in this country. We came for honest work. We came to do the jobs that many people won't do. Please, it is the time for citizenship, something so we can be okay here and so we don't have to go somewhere and be afraid that they'll stop the bus where we are, that they take us to immigration and deport us while my daughters are in school. It's an ugly and sad thing, and I say yes that now is the time for immigration reform. To the Senators and all the people hearing this message, please help us for the immigration reform that we are all hoping for and we hope that this is the year that it happens. Story 13: I'm Nicaraguan and got TPS in 1998. I had a problem. A policeman gave me a DUI because I had a neck problem. I lost consciousness because of the medicine that I took, which was not supposed to be taken while driving, but I did it because I needed to pick up some money urgently. I say yes to citizenship. Right now I am in a limbo because of my immigration status. They removed my TPS. After they removed my TPS, I was sent to immigration court with a lawyer who told me to apply for political asylum. But they didn't approve it and asked me for voluntary departure. Every day I feel that, if they get me, I am going to be deported to my country. Now I have 16 years working here contributing to the productivity and economy of this country. I have worked honestly. The problem I had was because I wasn't well represented in court about the DUI. I paid lawyers but it was useless for me because they were not able to defend me. I have evidence that proves that the police gave false evidence. I was an industrial electrical engineer in my country, and I intend to work with dignity, honesty, with the sweat of my brow to succeed, because if I go back to my country, I have no chance of surviving there. Story 14: I arrived in the United States in 1985 to study. I have three kids, and we and need immigration reform. Please. In the name of God, we need this reform because it is hard not having a license.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce. Over the past twenty years, the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of South Florida has been an important partner for promoting business, driving job creation, and supporting economic development in South Florida. Through partnerships with the Miami-Dade County Office of Public Housing and Community Development, the members of the Chamber help create much needed jobs and advance community development. This organization strives to support entrepreneurship and innovation for Puerto Ricans and Hispanics in both South Florida and Puerto Rico. As our economy in South Florida continues to recover from the recession, the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce serves as a leader in strengthening the economic foundation of our communities. I hope you will join me in commending the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of South Florida on twenty years of outstanding advocacy and service.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos for his bold leadership and commitment to public service. President Santos began his distinguished career in public service when he served as the first-ever Minister of Foreign Trade. In this capacity, President Santos tirelessly sought to bring a higher quality of life to the people of Colombia by expanding trade and promoting economic prosperity. As the Minister of Foreign Trade, President Santos's strong leadership allowed him to successfully establish Colombia as a rising international economic force. After founding the Social Party of National Unity, which is now Colombia's largest political party, President Santos served as the Minister of Defense. Thanks to his steadfast leadership and commitment, President Santos helped weaken dangerous guerrilla groups like the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. President Santos's achievements as a national leader are undoubtedly worthy of our admiration. I commend him for an impressive career and applaud his lifelong dedication to his country.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, the following are stories of individuals affected by our Nation's broken immigration system: Story 1: I came to the U.S. from Nicaragua when I was six years old along with my younger brother. When we first got to the U.S. it was really exciting for us--first of all boarding the plane and just trying to, you know, fulfill our curiosity, and putting our fingers wherever we can, touching everything that was shiny. And we were even more amazed when we got out of the airplane and saw the moving escalators that we'd never seen before. And we actually thought that we were at Disney World at that point (laughter)! It turned out that we weren't in Disney World when we got off the plane, but we did go to Disney World the same week we got here. So everything was real bright and hopeful when we first got to the U.S. We came on a visa which expired after six months. Mom was with her boyfriend whom she had a daughter with, and so we all lived together for quite a while until her boyfriend started drinking and abusing alcohol. My Mom's boyfriend would abuse her and hit her and pretty much victimize her constantly. There came a point when me and my brother were coming home from school, which was right next door to our house, a trailer, and we saw that as we were walking toward the garage, it just looked like a robbery. My Mom's boyfriend came out in boxers, and he looked out of it. His eyes were red and he was just saying all these crazy things--``Oh, your Mom this,'' and ``your Mom that,'' but my Mom wasn't there at the time. My Mom pulled up in her car. She went to our rooms and got as much clothes as she could, and then she put us in her car and put our seatbelts on. As she was putting the keys in the ignition to drive off and flee, he got in front of her car and called the police. When my Mom heard the police sirens, her instinct was to protect us and to keep us together. She was trying to hide so the police wouldn't catch us, and so we were running behind other trailers but eventually we had to stop. And that was when police officers came around and put her in handcuffs, and we were watching this. And my Mom, like, she just collapsed, pretty much, when all of this was happening, and we saw tears in her eyes. And so I figured, you know, I know who the victim is here. I expected the police officer to do the right thing and protect my Mom, things like that. But because my Mom was fearful, and because she had no status, she didn't speak up and all. She was she was crying and bawling inside the car. So she was unfairly detained that day. But moving fast forward, after she got out of jail for that, like the next day, my Mom became a strong and independent woman. She started working harder, and we had our own apartment without her boyfriend. It was just so peaceful when we were together. We'd watch movies together--she loved comedies, so we were always watching comedy movies. We would take turns cooking, sometimes. Everything was really good, to us, after that incident. But that incident followed her until a day that we were around 10th grade. She was pulled over for driving without a license, and because of those charges they arrested her too. We were at home, right, expecting her to come at 11:00 p.m., which was when her shift ended at the gas station that she worked at. We were watching the clock, and we were like ``oh, it's 11, she should be home anytime now,'' and then it became 11:30 and our eyes were still wide open, until 11:45 and 11:50 when we just fell asleep. We woke up late the next day; it was a school day and she, she wasn't there. That was the craziest experience that we ever had. It was like our mother was abducted by aliens to us and we were just like, ``Where is she?'' Our aunt gave us a call: ``Hey your Mom was arrested for driving without a license.'' That's when my brother and I immediately were trying to figure out what to do. I was fifteen years old, and trying to figure out if we should pay the next month's rent or sell her car to pay an attorney. During that period, all the charges were dropped against my Mom, but they found out about her status and they transferred her to ICE and then they deported her. What bothers me the most, and what angered me the most during this whole ordeal, was that I was never given the opportunity to say bye to her, to look at her, to hug her, or to make her a promise that I'll see her again. We didn't have any form of ID that allowed us to go inside the detention center. And that's really what has angered me the most and why I'm at this site, to make that sure no one has to go through this again. After my Mom was deported, some of my aunts were financially struggling themselves, but they offered to take us in. Unfortunately, due to economic hardships, they couldn't sustain us. And that's how I ended up in the foster system with some strangers--with a family I didn't know. To me it was just truly nerve-wracking. The first night I couldn't sleep because I didn't know what was going to happen to me, or who these people were that were in the room with me. And the reason I felt like I didn't belong there was because I was never abused or neglected by my Mom. My Mom was an outstanding woman. Most kids go through the foster system for that reason--they were either abused, neglected, or abandoned. That was not the case for me. So I ended up there and now I've aged out of the foster care. I'm 18, I live alone, and it's difficult to come home and not have my family to tell them, ``Hey, this is how my day went,'' or ``Hey, I had a bad day, let's talk about it.'' It's really tough. Story 2: My dream is to be a citizen of this country because I came here when I was three months old. I am now twenty-one, almost twenty-two, so that is almost my whole life. CIR would change my live and my family's because I have seen my parents suffer and work so hard every day of their life in the sun and see the struggle that they're in and provide a better future for them to see the happiness in their eyes because they haven't seen their families in 15 years and it hurts me because I know that I haven't seen my mom or my dad it would be so hard. I want to see them happy one day and reunited with their families and for them to come back without the worry of being sent home. I have much hope that this will come very soon. Story 3: I am originally from Cuba. I came in the sixties and for over 10 years I have been involved with immigration issues. For Cubans, you know, it has always been easy to get the papers in order, but I think the system is very unfair for the other immigrants. Other immigrants come here for various reasons, mostly because of the poverty in their homes and the political situations from their home land. And they are always being created by the government of the United States and the corporations of the United States with the help of the government. Especially comparing the Cubans with the Haitian people and the wet foot, dry foot--to us, we call it, white foot, black foot. The Haitian people need--just as much as the Cubans--to be accepted by this country and be allowed to come. The policy of the United States is wrong, you know, saying that the situation with the Cubans is political as they are suppressed by a communist government but Haiti supposedly is being run by democratic governments which is not true, they have a lot of dictators there. And a lot of pressure and interference from the United States. So it is political too, besides the poverty that's been created there, so they should be treated just like Cubans. Other immigrants--they should be treated the same. Stop the restriction they got making it hard for families to reunite. Senator Marco Rubio said he approves of immigration reform if they come here legally and wait in the line, but people have been waiting 15-20 years in the line. That's not fair. Besides we give this wrong sense of reality of what's going on in this country because we export movies and TV shows where everybody lives in fabulous mansions, got great jobs, fancy cars, and when they come here they find that the land of the dream is nothing but the land of the nightmare. Story 4: I've been in this country for 14 years. My kids were born here, we're a part of this country. I pay taxes, we're part of the country's economy. We haven't committed any crimes. We drive a car without insurance. I think that that's bad for the country's economy. There are 12 million [people] driving without insurance. I think that being able to have a license is a good option and that residency should come with a path to citizenship. Us immigrant believe that we are helping the country. I don't see any reason for not wanting to make a path to citizenship. We have a clean record, we've bought property. I think we'd all be better off financially by contributing to this country, it's healthy for the country. We hope that Senator Marco Rubio understands a little of the problem. Story 5: My dream is for immigration reform because immigration reform will allow me to attend any college I choose and to have a bigger dream than my parents had. Story 6: Immigration reform will change my life because it will give me reassurance that my friend will not be deported. Story 7: I'm an aspiring student. A pathway to citizenship will allow everyone to pursue their dreams. Story 8: For the past two years I have been trying to renew my driver's license, but I have not been successful. I am required to present additional immigration documents that I am not eligible to have. A few days ago I was given a ticket for driving without proper ID. Today I am limiting my driving as much as I possibly can. What you need to understand is that we have been living in Miami for the past 17 years and have been running our family business in Miami for the past eight years. If I don't have the freedom to drive around, I am afraid that our family business will suffer to the point that we as a family will not be able to sustain ourselves. Story 9: I came to the United States 17 years ago. I applied for political asylum and was denied. Without realizing it, I had a deportation order and I was very scared. I have a young child and am wishing for comprehensive immigration reform for the single moms, for the moms that have young children, because it makes me scared to leave my child. I'm hoping for immigration reform for all the women out there that work as housekeepers, maids, etc., and also for folks with deportation orders that have small children and can't leave them. This is the best place for them, and they can't go back. I'm hoping it will help all of us too. Thank you very much. Story 10: I've been an American citizen for more than 20 years. I became one in Chicago. There are so many things that we are hearing every day dealing with immigrants and the manner in which immigrants are abused because they're farmers and unfortunately undocumented. We hear about the suffering of these poor people who are my race too. It's an explosion from both political parties--Democrats and Republicans. Immigrants have been abused constantly since when I was young. Now I'm 74 years old. The suffering these people have gone and are going through is inhumane. What they're doing to my people is criminal. That's why I'm fully in favor of them becoming citizens as soon as possible. Thank you very much. Story 11: I live in Lakeland, Florida. I'm Mexican, and I have lived in here for over 23 years. My four children are citizens, and I have my house paid for 14 years. My problem is immigration. I worked many years as a farm worker, but one day I looked for work in construction. After starting construction work, the boss told us that we have to give fingerprints. But what happened? A week later they called me to come back because something had come up. I went back and they told me ``Just wait here. Something went wrong.'' Then came two police officers to interview me. They said, ``I want to see the tattoos you have.'' I told them, ``I have no tattoos, sir.'' They were confusing me with someone else and there began my problem. I was in jail for six days. Immigration takes its inmates to Tampa around 6:00 a.m. There, I set a bail of $1,500, and I was let go. But my problem is still pending. And again, I am looking for a better job. Now I have a deportation order for May 7, and if nobody helps me I'll be deported. So I ask the Senator Marco Rubio and Congressman Dennis Ross please say yes to immigration reform, no more for me but for thousands of undocumented families who are here. I do not want to see them go through the same problem I'm having. Thank you very much. Update: He received a stay of removal from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He applied for a work permit and driver's license after receiving the notification. The fear of being separated from his family has been lifted, at least temporarily. Story 12: I agree to the legalizing 11 million illegal immigrants. They have the right to remain in this country because many have brought their families, their children have grown up here, and they already have American ways. Take my case, for example--I came to this country for education and for a better life for my family. I went without seeing my daughter for years, but once I became a resident I was able to request her. It is for this reason that I agree that illegal immigrants and their families should receive their documents and live more peacefully. Living anxiously and not having status is horrible. I support all people of good will to resolve their immigration status. Story 13: I'm Mexican. I came to the U.S. eight years ago following my husband. He has lived here for 25 years. We have three children, two living in Mexico and one living with us here in the U.S. Although not born here, he does not know any country other than this one. Since I arrived here, I have served as a volunteer at my son's school. I know all the work that teachers do in Mexico because I worked as a teacher for 20 years. I have 20 years of experience, but here for lack of papers, I had to work as a maid. I want immigration reform to pass. Story 14: I say yes to citizenship and residence. My mom is a person of 72 years. She must have psychiatric treatment because of her depression, which is caused by the fact that one of my brothers, who is 45, cannot be a resident, even though he has lived here for more than 10 years. The reform [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals] is only for young people. Then I have another brother who is a citizen and has been diagnosed with colon cancer. For these reasons we need my brother to stay with us. He is the only one that does not have papers. I think there should be a reform as soon as possible. Story 15: I say yes to citizenship. I came here in 2001 with my tourist visa and my daughter. She came on the same visa with me. She grew up here during the past 12 years, but she is now back in Ecuador. My driver's license expired in 2006, so now I am frustrated because I cannot drive. I am a very good-hearted person and have a lot of creativity. I have been working with Amway, and I pay my taxes. I would like to go out and drive and have clients. I have been very obedient. I have not driven. Instead, I have my bike and I go by buses. My daughter was so frustrated that she went back to Ecuador two years ago. She loves this country as I love this country. We help people so I am prepared to help people in very good ways.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, the following are stories of individuals affected by our nation's broken immigration system: Story 1: I came to this country in 1980 with the desire that all immigrants have--to seek better opportunities. I worked very hard to make my way in this country. I had the opportunity to apply for residency, thanks to the amnesty by President Ronald Reagan and the laws of this country. I presented the evidence required by the immigration process and my request was approved, giving me the temporary residence and my social security number. After two years, I had to change from temporary residence to permanent residence, so I just had to request the change of status at any immigration office. I even was able to travel to Ecuador, and Immigration stamped my passport. Then, because my process was done in New Jersey but I had moved to Miami for personal reasons, in 1990 I went to the Immigration office in Miami. Since then, I have been subjected to negligence by Immigration. Instead of giving me the permanent residence, they just put a sticker to validate my temporary residence for one year more. That happened again the following year, and the third consecutive year after that. Then, they didn't want to give me the residency, because they said that LULAC cases in Miami had been fraudulent, to which I responded that actually my case had been in New Jersey. They said that I had to bring my case from New Jersey to Miami, which took three more years After that, I started wondering what was wrong with my case. They always responded to me with endless excuses: a fire took place at an immigration office and a lot of information was damaged, paperwork became too backed up when they had to put all the information of all cases in a computer system, elections were taking place, I needed to complete and return another form and get fingerprinted. I completed and returned the form, then I was fingerprinted and had to wait more. I trusted the agents of this country and the laws, so I waited and waited. They asked me to fill out another form and so on and on. I sent three forms and fingerprints but nothing happened. Then the attacks on September 11, 2001, happened, which made things worse. There was no news at all. An executive order by President George Bush was released, ordering that immigration documents should be given to people who got Reagan's reform. I presented it and nothing happened. I called two or three times every months asking about my case and nothing happened. I was told that the process took up to six months, but I already had spent two years waiting and nothing. In 2005, I found out about a brain tumor through my medical exams. I received surgery and after that I couldn't work so I lived in a critical economic situation. I lost everything I had. That same year, there was another executive order request to resolve immigration cases because of the many complaints from victims of the immigration service. I sent documentation by mail to the correct address and on time, and they rejected it three times. I found an honest lawyer that took the case (pro bono, because of my financial situation), and from there I had legal representation. We sent copies of the pages with the LULAC law, and we always got negative responses, so we filed appeals but received again negative responses. They asked me for proofs that were impossible to find after 23 years, but nevertheless I was able to find some. All of this just to make me lose the hope of solving my case. In the last response not only did they deny my case, but also they took away my temporary residence. I demand my permanent residency and a path to citizenship without more delay, because I have tried for over 24 years with my residency, in the name of God, Jehovah, and the signed and executed laws of this country. Don't allow injustice to win in this country. You are politicians first for this country. Story 2: Alex came here when he was very young. He's from Honduras. Honduras is a very poor country. His family is very poor, but he speaks fairly fluent English. He came here to get a better life. There's no work in Honduras and very high crime. He came here when he was probably 17 or 18 years old. He hitched rides on trains, travelling on boxcars with only the clothes he had and no money. So, he basically crossed three countries, I believe Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico. When he got to this country, of course he came here illegally, but he ended up in Virginia and he then went to Knoxville, Tennessee. During the time he was in Virginia and Tennessee, he was greatly exploited by people who had him working for them. He was all alone. He had no relatives and did not know anyone here in the United States. He met a girl, who was maybe four or five years older than him. She already had one child by a man from Honduras. She and Alex hooked up together and she got pregnant by Alex. They came down here to Pensacola after Hurricane Ivan, that's when I met Alex. By that time, he had married the girl. They had her child, and two children that they had together. Alex was a great worker. I met him, actually, through a neighbor who he had worked for. So, we became friends. For a while there, I was in a wheelchair and Alex took care of me. He's just an incredible person. He just seems to have been born knowing what to do with children. He was a great father. He was great with older people and with people who have disabilities. He loved animals; he was constantly rescuing animals. He came home one day, and when he got out of his car to walk into his house a police officer or sheriff's deputy, I'm not sure which, approached him and asked him for his ID and driver's license. He did not have a driver's license. He did have a previous traffic violation that he had not paid, again it was probably for driving without a license, so he was arrested. When he was taken to the Escambia County Jail, within a week, the ICE came through the jail making a sweep, looking for undocumented people, and they found Alex. From that time, Alex never got out of jail. He served a sentence, a short sentence for the traffic violation. He was subsequently sent to prison or a holding area in Texas where they incarcerate undocumented people. In the mean time, he had had another baby before he got arrested, so now they had three children and the little baby was only about, maybe, four months old at that time. As a result of Alex not being around to help financially take care of the children, his wife had a nervous breakdown and could not take care of the children and so she turned them in to foster care. The foster care mother, who got the children, I believe, got them with the full intent of adopting them because she knew these children from their nursery school. Alex has not seen his children since, and this has been about two and a half years ago. But, what he did do is he tried every way he could to get his children back; to get his children allowed to go to Honduras with him. He wrote numerous letters to his children. He sent those letters to me and I would send them to an attorney who was supposedly representing him in a dependency case. It became obvious to me that the foster mother was not letting the children read the letters that Alex wrote to them. He also was not allowed to call the children. She did not want him talking to his children, so he was not allowed to talk to them on the phone, they were not allowed to see his letters, he was not allowed to have any communication with his children. He eventually got deported. He continued trying to get his lawyer here to help him communicate with the children and to get a home study done there in Honduras in order for him to get his children back. What I'm going to read are some letters to give you an example of the types of letters he wrote his children. After he was deported, he came back to the United States again. He came back on a train, hiking trains, riding on boxcars, going through three countries, no money, just the clothes on his back. He crossed the border and was apprehended by the border guards within minutes, so again he was in jail. But he came back only for one reason, and that was to get his children. I believe that was his only hope of getting his children back, was coming back to the United States. It says, in beautiful writing, stylized writing, it says, ``I love you,'' it says, ``with all my heart. You are in my mind. I'm trying to be with all of you. But it's only me and God. I hope these people here let me stay with you because I really want and love you all. I hope you all like this. Kisses, hugs, love, your papa.'' I can't read anymore. So, that's all I'm going to read, Alex. Alex: Yeah, I know and I've been thinking about them and this thing, you know. But, there's nothing I can do, so maybe I'll see them one day Well, I don't know what we can do, but we certainly are going to let people know what happened to you, okay? Alex: Yeah And, hopefully, we can do something with your book, and at least, maybe one day, when they're older, I believe they will find you and this book. They will know how much you love them and that you fought for them and what you went through to get them back. Story 3: My story begins in 1998 when my mom and my three sisters decided to come, well, my mom decided that we all would come to the United States as a result of my little sister being sick. We did not have the money to cure her. She needed surgery and stuff. I was in high school and had no money for college, even though education was one of the things that made my mom determined that we come to America. So then I came to Mexico with my mom and my three sisters. In 1998 we crossed through Arizona and arrived in Florida about two weeks later. When I got here, the obvious thing was for me to study. My goal was always only to collect enough money to pay my university in Mexico. Once we got here we found work, but I had an accident about three months after I got here and then for a while, like a year and a half, I had to go and live in Colorado with my brother because I could not work. I had an accident at work and I never got compensation or anything. I have hands that do not work very well, mostly my fingers, because I had to have a transplant in my hands because I lost part of my bones and tendons in the accident. There are many who are injured on the job and are entitled to be served, to receive therapies and receive a salary. But at the time I was a child, I was 18 if I remember correctly, and I had not filed an application. It was just one of those jobs where you say you go, then the company denied that I had registered, but I said, ``If I was taken from there, the fire department took me out of work,'' but I did not have insurance, I did not have a social worker to help me, I had no one. I had to pay all expenses. I did not know the language or the laws. I came across a social worker when I was in the hospital and they told me that if I tried to do something with the company all that would happen was that I would be deported. What remained was a deep depression after the accident because I could not work and was in therapy for over a year. But I still had the dream of wanting to study. Then I had to learn to deal with my condition, not being stuck at this point. Since my accident, I could not carry heavy things when I was at work, but I still had to work. I try to do everything with one hand because I cannot put much weight on the other hand. Right now I live with someone and I have two small children, one age six and one four, and I live with my sister. All my immediate family is in the United States. My mom passed away about twelve or thirteen years ago and is buried here in Florida. I say deport me if I'm not going to have even the right to visit the grave of my mother. This is not politics, these are human lives. Maybe I do not speak perfect English, or write perfect English, but my life is in this country. If I were deported to Mexico I will be foreign in that country, because I already have been living here for many years. I have no family there, it's like I will be tossed into a city I do not know. My sister took care of her residence when my brother-in-law married her. I have a U.S. citizen sister who was born in this country, and my other sister, Andrea, was still a minor when my mother died. Of all my siblings, I am the only one who does not have legal status. I have an application but that supposedly takes many years and I have gotten no response. This is not politics; we are human beings of flesh and blood. For many it is very easy to say why we came here illegally, they don't see the need to leave our home countries. They do not know what it is to have someone get sick and not have to medicine. They do not know what it is to go three days without eating. This is not politics, these are human lives. Story 4: I came to the United States 13 years ago. I am undocumented, I have two kids, one who was born here. I'm with my husband. We fled from Nicaragua because even though the Sandinista government was in power, there was still a threat from the mobs, and our lives were in danger. It's for that reason that we decided to come to this country. We asked for political asylum, for which we were denied, because according to the United States, Nicaragua has a democracy, which is not true. Everything is limited by the Sandinista government. I say yes to citizenship and yes to immigration reform, because I feel a part of this great nation, because I pay my taxes, because my daughters have adopted this lifestyle, because my country doesn't have economic priorities, it doesn't enjoy democracy as it should be. For those reasons I would like immigration reform. I say yes to citizenship so I have the ability to buy my house, so I can keep studying, so that I don't have to be nervous to keep driving without a license, so that I don't have to keep having to fear if my husband with come back or if it will be the last day that we see him. I ask the legislators to give us the opportunity for a new path to citizenship. Story 5: I've been living here for 23 years. I came from Mexico and I've worked very hard in this country. I left ahead of my family in Mexico. Here too. I'm tired of living in the shadows. I have a son who is an American citizen, and I thought that when he turned 21 we could ask immediately, but that not the case because we came here illegally. I say yes to citizenship, for everyone like me that has worked hard, that pays their taxes and that haven't asked the government for anything. I say yes to give us an opportunity to move forward. Story 6: I have 23 years here, and I like that Rep. Dennis Ross is making laws here that bring people hired from Mexico to here. That doesn't benefit me because I've been here for 23 years and I want to help people who are here, not the ones that are going to come. I say yes to reform for the 11 million undocumented people that are here. I'm going through a problem with immigration. I have for kids who are citizens here, I have my house, I pay taxes. Unfortunately, if there's no solution by May 7th, I'll be deported. I ask Denis Ross to support me with a green card or papers so that I won't be deported, because I want to see my family united, I don't want to be separated from my kids so they're not left on their own. Story 7: I'm Cuban and I come from the Apopka Farmer's Association. My goal in participating in the caravan because I am also an immigrant, even though it's legal, but I'm an immigrant, my main goal is to support people who are illegal and are fighting for immigration reform. I understand that they have come here for work, to give to this country, and when I think of all of them that have come to contribute to the society of the United States, they deserve the right to be a legal citizen. Story 8: I'm saying yes to citizenship. I'm a social worker. As a social worker at Hialeah hospital, I came in contact with a victim of domestic violence. The woman, I spoke to her, listened to her, built trust with her and I was able to connect her to a women's shelter. She was, during our conversation, she was very scared of having contact with the police because she was undocumented, and it was, you know, I worked with her and at the end I was able to connect her to the women's shelter. Her abuser was, he was a citizen, a Cuban-American or a Cuban citizen, and he would manipulate her because of her immigration status. Story 9: Hello, I am saying yes to citizenship and yes to immigration reform for illegal immigrants here in the United States. I am a United States citizen and my parents are illegal immigrants. They've been in this country for about 23 years, 24 years, and usually, I was born in Oregon, and usually at the age of 21 I believed I would be able to grant them a path to citizenship. When I turned 20, I started investigating and talking with lawyers to see how they would be able to get that accomplished and it turns out that it wasn't that easy, wasn't that simple and I wasn't able to get them a path to be a resident, to go ahead with this process to become a US citizen. It didn't work. I'm just, I've been time and time again, for every lawyer, kind of lawyers, immigration lawyers, everything, to marches of, to say yes to immigration reform and I just feel like right now is the right time to just keep pushing forward and I say yes to all the families and everyone. We the immigrants, most immigrants, everyone's an immigrant in the United States, and it's just hurtful that those immigrants make up part of this economy and help with the economic growth and to keep taking these parents away from their children and keep separating families, it's not the way this country was built and I'm just calling to say that I'm saying yes to immigration reform and yes for a pathway to citizenship for all illegal immigrants.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, the following is one additional story of yet another individual affected by our nation's broken immigration system: My parents came here 12 years ago from Mexico. I am an American citizen, but right now I am suffering a lot because my dad is detained in an immigration jail. I have three brothers and we all miss my dad very much. Mr. Speaker, these stories represent but a small cross-section of those suffering as a result of our nation's outdated immigration laws. Millions more remain in the shadows. They all have waited long enough for Congress to act. The time for reform is now.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share the stories of 65 Floridians whose lives have been profoundly impacted by this House's lack of action on immigration reform. The vast majority of Floridians, like the vast majority of Americans, support comprehensive immigration reform that creates a path to citizenship, secures our borders, and grows our economy. These stories, collected by the ACLU of Florida, the Florida Immigrant Coalition, and other coalition groups from the ``Say Yes'' to Citizenship Campaign, were originally in Spanish, have been edited for length, and have had the names removed so that individuals who had been afraid to speak up could speak freely. Whether we consider H.R. 15, which I introduced, or another vehicle, we cannot afford to wait any longer. I urge my colleagues to listen to these stories and recognize the real human consequences of our inaction. Story 1: I met my husband in Colombia. He was on vacation and he was American. We fell in love and we married in Colombia. When I got pregnant, we moved here to the United States because he wanted his son to grow up here. That was twenty years ago. We have three kids from our marriage. After my husband passed away I had to find a job. My English was minimal and I didn't have any family around to help. I was cleaning houses in the beginning, and I worked for UPS for six years. I left UPS and tried to follow my dad's career. He was a jeweler in Colombia, so I got a job with a local pawnshop in Jacksonville. I worked for them for four years, but I got in trouble for purchasing stolen merchandise and because of my knowledge--they said I should have known about it being stolen. The items were no more than a thousand dollars, but they split the items and charged me five times. I served four days of jail, four months of home arrest, and nine months of probation. After a year of my life being on hold and not being able to work and not knowing how to support my kids, I was obligated to plead guilty so I could keep going on with my life. I was very blessed and lucky to find a job where they got to know me and see what kind of person I am. I have been with them for one and a half years, and I have been promoted a couple of times. I flew to Columbia a year ago and when I came back, I was stopped by immigration in the airport and questioned about what happened. They told me that, because of the incident and leaving the county and coming back, they were going to start the procedure of deportation. They removed my green card and gave me a temporary green card for one year and I was to hear about what was going to happen. I've been in this country all my life. I worked in this county all my life. I have three American kids. I have a dead American husband. I think I'm American. I made the mistake of trusting someone and paid the consequences. I think we deserve another chance. Story 2: I was born in Brazil. I came at the age of 14. I am a DREAM Act student. When I first arrived in the U.S., I learned about the importance of freedom. I learned what it meant to be an American. For me, those American ideals are really important. When I decided I was going to marry the person I love and decided to share the rest of my life with, I also wanted to fight for our right to be fully recognized in this county. I am an undocumented immigrant, but my spouse is a U.S. citizen. The only difference between us and the rest of our peers is the fact that we are in a same sex relationship. The inclusion of the Uniting American Families Act will protect our family from deportation and also our general well-being. When we saw that Senator Rubio and others specifically spoke against our family we felt that not all families were included in immigration reform. It was extremely outrageous to us to see the Uniting American Families Act fail in the Judiciary Committee last week. We hope that Senator Rubio will speak on behalf of the entire state of Florida, people like me, and also the 67% of Florida voters who support the inclusion of same sex couples in immigration reform. Story 3: I'm an immigrant rights activist and I have been one for the past five years. I absolutely say yes to citizenship for the eleven million undocumented immigrants living in this country. I feel it's imperative that the government finally takes care of this issue after so many years. For example in my case, I have been living here for twenty-three years, but have been undocumented from the age of two. Right now I want to legalize my status so I can become an architect, finally realize my dream of becoming a citizen, and do my best in giving back to this country--the only country that I really know. Story 4: I came here from the Bahamas a year and a half ago searching for a better life and to further my education and athletic career. I graduated senior high school at the age of sixteen, and I am now eighteen. Because of my immigration status I was unable to continue and further my education. I've had scholarships to the top schools but was unable to obtain them because of my immigration status, which put part of my life on hold. I am saying yes to citizenship so I can be a voice not only for myself, but also for the students that stand in my shoes. Story 5: I'm twenty-five years old and from West Palm Beach, Florida. I've lived here my whole life, and I'm the second oldest of seven children. All me and my brothers and sisters are U.S. citizens. We were all born here in the United States. My dad is Guatemalan--he is an immigrant. And my mom is Salvadoran--she is also an immigrant. They immigrated to the United States about twenty-five years ago. About seven years ago my mom and my dad were both deported at the same time, on the same day. I was a senior in high school. I remember the day clearly. I said goodbye to both my mom and my dad like a normal day. I knew they were going to immigration court but I never thought that I would never see them again. That was the last day I saw them. My dad owned his own company in which he paid taxes. We had everything that we wanted growing up because my dad worked hard and was able to own his own business. When my mom and dad were deported we lost the house that he bought. With the house he lost the business, and with the business we pretty much lost everything. It was up to me and my older sister to pretty much provide everything for my younger brothers and sisters. From that point on, I was no longer a normal high school student. I became a father of six, pretty much. My life changed completely. I had high hopes of one day playing collegiate soccer and hopefully maybe even one day playing professional soccer, but those dreams were shattered when my parents were deported. There was a moment when some of my brothers and sisters were actually homeless due to the fact that we lost the company, we lost my parents, and we lost the house. So we did live on the streets. We lived at hotels sometimes. It completely destroyed my family. Two years ago my mom was actually killed due to the violence that people flee the country for. The first time I saw my mom since the day that she was deported from this country in five years was in her coffin for her funeral. That was the first time I ever saw my mom. I never got the chance to hug my mom or kiss my mom or say ``hi'' to my mom ever again. She was never a criminal. She never even got a speeding ticket. Now I live here with my brothers and sisters, and we get by however we can. Obviously things are rough. Things are hard, but we're getting through it. It saddens me every day to know that the fact that my parents were deported broke a happy family, a truly happy family that's no longer together and will no longer ever be happy. If I had one goal, one mission in my life, it's to prevent other children, other kids, other families from going through what I went through. Story 6: I live in Auburndale, Florida. I was undocumented. I want to say yes to citizenship because it's a very important thing for immigration reform to happen. We've been promised immigration reform for years since Obama's first term in office and he did not go through with that promise, though he did pass the action for childhood arrivals a couple months before his reelection. I was undocumented for many years until my wife is able to fix my status but my legalization does not mean that I can stop fighting for other undocumented people. I have family and friends who are still in the shadows, who are willing to come out, and who I want to come out to better themselves. Story 7: I'm saying yes to Congress supporting a path to citizenship. Many of us have stories. My story is this: my mom brought me here when I was six months old and it's not her fault, it's nobody's fault. By the age of 13 I started helping them in the fields and I learned and went to school and everything. After school I would go straight to the fields to help out my mom because she needed help. I want to see a path to citizenship because I want to see everybody have opportunities in life. Story 8: My family actually immigrated 200 years ago. My great great grandfather was a stowaway from Germany and a German Jew. I really love it here in Florida. I really see how the immigrant community has enriched our community. I worry that increasingly we are being hostile to immigrants because they look a little different from the immigrants that have come here from the past instead of realizing how much they enrich the place. I think we need to continue to be a country that welcomes people just like it has with my great great grandfather. Story 9: I'm from Argentina, and I've been here for 30 years. I came to this country looking for a better future. I have two American children and the greatest fear I have is being separated from them. I have been threatened with separation from my children and all that I ask the congressmen and senators is to pass immigration reform with a path to citizenship in order to give a better future for my children and to fulfill my dreams in this country. Story 10: I think it's important what we're doing today because the people are of value, they are an asset to our community and we need them. None of us would be here if it wasn't for the immigrants. We all come from that. It's important that they're allowed to be here so they can add to our economy. And they're not taking jobs. They're doing the jobs that no one wants to do. I'm an American, born and raised, and I'm in total support of it. I think the government needs to look at our immigration system and make it user-friendly to become a citizen because right now it's not user-friendly. It's too expensive and too much paperwork and too much red tape. Let's get down to the brass tacks and do it right. And do it in a quick manner. We can do it and the government knows how to do it. Let's just do it. Story 11: I'm here because I have a lot of friends that I go to school with who can't go to school because of tuition hikes in our state. I'm in this club Students Working for Equal Rights, and our president right now is in Georgia because her boyfriend got arrest for driving without a license. Of course, if you're not documented you can't get a license, and if you're undocumented and get arrested, you'll constantly live in fear of being deported. I've just seen this problem escalate, and I'm here to make sure I help that in any way that I can. I want to see immigration get reformed because there are a lot of people that play by the rules and work really hard. They want to raise their kids or do anything any other decent person wants to do, but they're denied the basic opportunities most Americans take for granted. Story 12: I say yes to a path to citizenship because it would mean brightness where darkness has been for many people for a long time. Undocumented immigrants face many injustices and abuses. They fear getting stopped by a police officer and standing up for themselves. I'm here because I'm not directly affected, but my friends and family are and I want to stand up for my people. I want to stand up with all the organizations that are fighting for justice.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. I would like to thank the gentleman from Colorado. Madam Speaker, every day thousands of Americans risk their lives for our Nation, despite the fact that our broken immigration system rips them apart, rips their families apart by deporting their mothers, fathers, siblings, and spouses. In my home State of Florida, Rita Cote, the wife of a gulf war veteran, was detained by local law enforcement when she was translating between police and her sister, her sister who had been a victim of domestic violence. Instead of arresting her sister's assailant, Rita was held without a warrant, without being charged, and without seeing a judge for 7 days before being transferred to ICE custody. This is the spouse of a veteran, of someone who is serving in our Armed Forces. No one deserve this treatment, but certainly not someone who has faced the challenges of being a military spouse. Our Nation's veterans were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect us. The least we could do is protect their families. At the same time, there are thousands of young people who would give anything to defend our country, the only country they have ever known. While these individuals with green cards cannot serve in the military because DACA doesn't allow for it, they are willing to do it; yet we do not allow it. These kids are an asset to our Nation, and it is simply bad policy to turn them away. Since 2002, almost 90,000 military servicemembers have become citizens. We should be welcoming them with open arms. All of those willing to fight and risk their lives for our great Nation deserve that respect. This is an issue that underscores the urgency with which we must pass immigration reform. Fixing our immigration system isn't about justice and fairness. It is about enhancing our national security and military readiness. There are enough Members in the House that understand the benefits of immigration reform. There are enough people who know that it benefits our Nation's prosperity and understand that we will do this inevitably. But with every day that passes, this problem gets bigger. The consequences of inaction become more costly. This body needs to stop hiding behind empty promises and start doing the job we were sent here to do. We recognize the sacrifices of America's veterans. Let's remember their loved ones who are left in the shadows. I want to remind my colleagues across the aisle that there is enough blame to go around, but here is what is clear: a Democratic Senate took up comprehensive immigration reform and passed a bipartisan bill. This would not be the bill that I would love. This would not be the bill that the gentleman from Colorado or the gentleman from California would love. Many of us could probably write a better bill; yet we took up this bill, and it got passed. The President has said he would sign that bill. And before this House, we have a bipartisan bill that has 190 signatures. If the Speaker would allow it to come to the floor, it would pass. Mr. Speaker, we need you to yield here. You did it on Hurricane Sandy relief, you did it on the budget and fiscal crisis, you did it on VAWA; and it is time to do it now. Let the will of this body happen. Let us vote, and we will vote it through. The consequences are grave not only for our country, not only for the millions who suffer, not only for the veterans, not only for their spouses and family; but they are going to have a great consequence for your party. The time has come to let this be voted on. We have been given an unprecedented opportunity to fix our broken immigration system and make our Nation stronger. Now is the time to pass immigration reform.

Mr. GARCIA. I just wanted to agree with the gentleman from Colorado. What is clear is that there are enough votes here to pass this. What is clear is if this comes to the floor, this will pass. What is clear is that Mr. Cantor wants a bill to pass. What is clear is that there has probably been no bill with broader support--probably since I have been in Congress, probably since the gentleman from Colorado got here. We not only have the Chamber of Commerce on our side, but we have the AFL-CIO, who is on the other side of the spectrum. We have the farm workers, and then we have the growers. We have almost every sector, including the religious sector. All of them are looking for a solution here, and there is only one man standing in the way. That is the Speaker. We ask, Mr. Speaker, for you to yield to the will of this body, yield to the majority, and yield to what is right for our Nation. We demand a vote. The Nation deserves a vote. Our country deserves a vote.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. I thank the gentleman from Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I have the distinct privilege of representing a district that, in the last several decades, has in large part been built by immigrants. I lived in south Florida during some very tough times for the immigrant community. I remember as a young man seeing bumper stickers on the backs of cars that said, ``Would the last American please bring the flag.'' But you know what? The flag still flies high in Miami. It is a thriving, growing economy and a beacon of work and opportunity for millions. People from all over are drawn to my community because they believe in the American Dream. My constituents know that immigrants only add to the American way of life. They make our country better. They create more opportunity for all. A vast majority of Americans recognize this. Some polls show that 70 to 80 percent of Americans support comprehensive immigration reform, with a pathway to citizenship. Fixing our broken immigration system isn't something that we can tackle on a step-by-step basis, only addressing parts of the problem. It is a bill that secures our borders, builds our economy, and provides a way forward for millions of undocumented individuals living in the United States. With every day that passes, millions continue to live in the shadows and jobs continue slipping away overseas. This is an issue that is not simply about justice. It is about fairness. It is about ensuring, also, America's economic prosperity. In Florida alone, legalizing all of the currently undocumented immigrants would generate $1.3 billion in additional tax revenues and create 97,000 new jobs. Fixing our broken immigration system will help small businesses expand, foster innovation, increase productivity, raise wages, and help create thousands of jobs. The fight for comprehensive immigration reform is one that makes all Americans better, makes our country richer, and creates opportunity for all. In the history of the world, there has never been a great nation that was shedding citizens. In fact, great nations welcome opportunities. The last few weeks have not cast a positive light on the House of Representatives, but this is an issue where we can repair that broken image. It is possible to find a bipartisan compromise that is the right thing for our Nation to do. The costs of inaction are simply too high. More than enough Members of this Chamber understand the benefits of immigration, understand that it is a necessity for our country's prosperity, and understand that it is what we will do inevitably. Let's do it now. Let's do it right. Let's get it done.

Mr. GARCIA. I thank the gentleman from California. I take this opportunity to sort of point out that, as he talks about the governing majority, we are seeing a coalition already built around immigration reform. In a bill that was filed less than 3 weeks ago, we already have 187 cosponsors, which puts us in a very good place to pass it if it is allowed to come to the floor. That means that already 95 percent of Democrats have signed on to the bill. That means that a Democratic Senate already passed out a bill and that the President stands ready to sign a comprehensive immigration reform if it gets to his desk. So our hope is that in the days to come, the 17 days left of working session before the end of the year, that we will find the will to bring something to the floor so that we can move this forward. With that, I yield to the gentleman from Colorado.

Mr. GARCIA. I would like to thank the gentleman from Colorado, and I think he is absolutely right. This is an unprecedented partnership with business, labor, the tech community all coming together around a basic thing--to help our country move forward. I think about all of the opportunities that we are missing and of all of the places that are doing better than we are in competition because we don't offer a pathway forward. I would mention to the gentleman from Colorado that there are 130,000 Chinese students in the United States right now, that there are somewhere in the neighborhood of 90,000 Indians studying in the United States, that there are 70,000 South Koreans studying in the United States. Under the present immigration system, if your company thinks, ``Hey, I can hire this guy, and it will be good for us,'' they just can't. He has got to go home. So we are sending them home to come back and compete with our workers when we could offer them a future here and when they could create a better future for other Americans. This is something we have done always. We take people from all over the world, and we put them to work for America in the best interest of America. Yet, under our broken immigration system, you just can't do it.