Today Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s First District spoke on the House Floor about the humanitarian crisis at the Southwest border and urged House Republican leadership to hold a vote on comprehensive immigration reform. Below are her remarks:
“I rise today to give voice to the 63,000 unaccompanied minors who have sought refuge at our Southern border since last fall.
“These vulnerable children have fled terrible violence and poverty in their home countries.
“In August, I traveled to McAllen, Texas, where I visited the border with CBP agents; I toured processing centers; and I met with Mexican officials to discuss the issue.
“There is no easy or quick solution for this very complex problem, but there are some steps we can take to relieve the crisis: we can provide resources for shelter and other social services for the children in U.S. custody; encourage economic investments in Central America; assess the effectiveness of U.S. funding for anti-gang programs in Central America; and increase the number of immigration judges to ensure children move quickly and fairly through the process.
“But in the end, this crisis simply underscores the necessity for us to enact comprehensive immigration reform, so I urge House Republican leadership to listen to the American people and bring this reform to the floor for a vote.”
