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[Pages H2831-H2832]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LIBERIAN IMMIGRANTS IN MINNESOTA NEED PEACE OF MIND
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Phillips) for 5 minutes.
Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Speaker, the clock is ticking and thousands of
Minnesotans are running out of time. Business owners are going to lose
their workforce, workers are going to lose their jobs, and children are
going to lose their parents, and it will be because we here in Congress
failed to take simple action when we were called to make change.
We have been handed a game-winning layup or, in Minnesota terms, an
empty net, and all we have to do is tap in the puck. All we have to do
is say to our Liberian population who came here fleeing bloody civil
war and the terrors of the Ebola virus: You matter; you are doing
everything right. The world took everything from you, and you came to
our country. You work hard, legally, you pay your taxes, and you are
valued members of our community.
But because we gave Liberians an immigration status DED, that does
not allow a pathway to citizenship; and because that status expires now
in 4 days, these friends, neighbors, and family members will be subject
to deportation, and it will tear our community apart, and it will be on
us.
Mr. Speaker, I recently heard from Nicole Mattson, a healthcare
employer in senior care back in the Twin Cities: ``We don't have enough
workers. At my facility, 60 percent of employees are immigrants, and
over half of those are Liberians. We would have to say good-bye to a
pool of talent that is highly skilled and educated.
``I have no idea why we would leave behind such a critically
important group of people to the healthcare industry. Very simply, we
cannot do the work, we cannot care for people, we cannot care for
seniors without them. We need them here, and we are glad they are
here.''
Mr. Speaker, I would say that we need courage to pass a legislative
fix to save Minnesota's healthcare industry and keep hardworking
members of our population home. I would say that we need courage to
keep our families and communities and brothers and sisters together.
This is so simple and so easy, that we do not even need courage. We
just need to pass a bill.
[[Page H2832]]
These are immigrants who have done everything the right way: They are
here legally; they work hard; they pay their taxes; and they have made
themselves irreplaceable contributors to our communities.
Their immigration status has been extended by every President from
Bill Clinton to Donald Trump. These would be undocumented citizens of
our very own creation.
If you need the human argument, hear it from my constituent, Michael:
``Going back to Liberia is not an option for me. My only brother, who
we were not able to bring to America, died in Liberia a few years ago.
My parents and siblings all live here in the United States.
``I was recently accepted into a doctoral program in education. My
whole life is here. This is my home. Liberia is a fragile country still
recovering from a decades-long war.''
Or Matthew, who could lose his older brother: ``It affects me deeply
as a U.S. citizen. This is someone I look up to. If he was to up and
leave the U.S., that would be very difficult for him, for me. He has a
daughter. I cannot take on that responsibility of being my niece's
caretaker.
``I cannot even imagine the nightmare that this will create in my
community. This is not just about me and my family; it is about our
community. We are going to be losing friends and family. I am not ready
for this.''
We have the legislation. We have a fix ready to go to move DED
holders to TPS for 3 years while we pass a more comprehensive fix.
So, Mr. Speaker, I say to my colleagues, ask yourselves: Are we here
to make a difference? Are you here to make people's lives better? Are
you here to help business owners and workers, or are you here to keep
playing politics with people's lives?
Let's rise to the occasion and be better than that and finally, at
long last, give our Liberian community the peace of mind that they so
richly deserve.
____________________
