[Pages H2475-H2476]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          PUERTO RICO'S BETRAYAL OF OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES

  (Mr. Hernandez of Puerto Rico was recognized to address the House for 
5 minutes.)
  Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the betrayal by 
the government of Puerto Rico to our immigrant communities.
  This photo shows a Dominican dish known as ``three blows''--it 
includes fried egg, fried salami, and fried cheese.
  Needless to say, it breaks your heart. But it doesn't break your 
heart as much as the three blows of betrayal that the immigrant 
community in Puerto Rico has received at the hands of its government.
  On January 19, the Governor of Puerto Rico said that immigrants on 
the island had nothing to worry about because ICE wasn't going to 
conduct raids outside the border with Mexico.
  On January 26, the first raid occurred. Documented immigrants were 
detained, in violation of their rights.
  That was the first blow.
  On January 27, the Governor said she was going to cooperate with the 
President's immigration policies.
  That was the second blow.
  And yesterday, it came to light that the Department of Transportation 
and Public Works--which since 2013 has issued driver's licenses to 
individuals without questioning their immigration status--was sharing 
immigrant information with immigration agencies.
  That was the third blow.
  Let me be clear: We all want immigrants to have their paperwork in 
order. We all want those who break the law to face consequences.
  But no one can defend a government deceiving its most vulnerable 
community. No one can defend a government asking for personal 
information to issue a driver's license and then handing it over to the 
federal government so they can be investigated and deported.
  We are talking about human beings. We are talking about children who 
could lose their parents. We are talking about elderly people who could 
lose the children who care for them.
  The Government of Puerto Rico will say that, if it doesn't cooperate, 
it would lose federal highway funds.
  A lie. The federal government--the Constitution of the United 
States--assigns the power of the purse to Congress, and the executive 
branch cannot freeze funds that Congress has allocated for a specific 
purpose.
  The Government of Puerto Rico can defend its self-government and its 
immigrant community's rights in court.
  Twenty states have already done so. Twenty. They sued the federal 
government for conditioning federal funds on cooperation with 
immigration enforcement. And the Government of Puerto Rico? Coward.
  In that lawsuit, the 20 states cited at least eight legal precedents 
in favor of jurisdictions that resisted similar pressure from the 
federal government. Eight precedents. And the Government of Puerto 
Rico? Coward.
  History will have no mercy: the Government of Puerto Rico betrayed 
Dominicans, Haitians, Venezuelans, and so many other immigrants to 
please Donald Trump.
  As a friend told me: they gave them three blows and threw them into 
the stew.
  Mr. Speaker, for the benefit of my constituents and the communities 
affected, I will offer my remarks in Spanish.
  (Spanish translation of the statement made in English is as follows:)
  Esta foto es de un plato dominicano conocido como el ``tres 
golpes''--contiene huevo frito, salami frito y queso frito.
  De mas esta decir que lastima el corazon. Pero no lastima el corazon 
tanto como los tres golpes de traicion que la comunidad de inmigrantes 
de Puerto Rico ha recibido de manos de su gobierno.
  El 19 de enero, la gobernadora de Puerto Rico dijo que los 
inmigrantes en la isla no debian preocuparse porque ICE no iba a hacer 
redadas fuera de la frontera con Mexico.
  El 26 de enero, ocurrio la primera redada. Detuvieron inmigrantes 
documentados, en violacion a sus derechos.
  Ese fue el primer golpe.
  El 27 de enero, la gobernadora dijo que iba a cooperar con las 
politicas migratorias del presidente.
  Ese fue el segundo golpe.
  Y ayer, salio a relucir que el Departamento de Transportacion y Obras 
Publicas, que desde el 2013 otorga licencias de conducir a las 
personas, sin cuestionar su estatus migratorio, estaba compartiendo la 
informacion de inmigrantes con las agencias de inmigracion.
  Ese fue el tercer golpe.
  Voy a ser claro: Todos queremos que los inmigrantes esten con sus 
papeles al dia. Todos queremos que quien viole la ley enfrente 
consecuencias.
  Pero nadie puede defender que un Gobierno engane a su comunidad mas 
vulnerable. Nadie puede defender que el Gobierno les pida informacion 
personal para darles una licencia de conducir y que luego entregue la 
misma al gobierno federal para que los investiguen y los deporten.
  Estamos hablando de seres humanos. Estamos hablando de ninos que 
podrian perder a sus padres. Estamos hablando

[[Page H2476]]

de ancianos que podrian perder a sus hijos cuidadores.
  El Gobierno de Puerto Rico dira que, si no coopera, perderia fondos 
federales para carreteras.
  Mentira. El gobierno federal--la constitucion de los Estados Unidos--
asigna el poder de la cartera al Congreso, y la rama ejecutiva no puede 
congelar fondos que el Congreso asigno para un proposito especifico.
  El Gobierno de Puerto Rico puede defender sus derechos de su gobierno 
propio y el de su comunidad inmigrante en los tribunales.
  Veinte estados ya lo han hecho. Veinte. Demandaron al Gobierno 
federal por condicionar fondos federales a cambio de cooperacion con 
inmigracion. qY el Gobierno de Puerto Rico? Cobarde.
  En esa demanda, los 20 estados citan al menos ocho precedentes 
judiciales en favor de jurisdicciones que han resistido presiones 
similares del Gobierno federal. Ocho precedentes. qY el Gobierno de 
Puerto Rico? Cobarde.
  La historia no tendra misericordia: el Gobierno de Puerto Rico 
traiciono a los dominicanos, a los haitianos, a los venezolanos y a 
tantos otros inmigrantes para complacer a Donald Trump.
  Como me dijo un amigo: les dieron tres golpes y los tiraron a 
mondongo.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair asks the gentleman to submit a 
transcript to the desk in English for the Record.

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