Immigration (Cong. Rec., Aug. 5, 2020)
Summary
This is pages S4911 and S4912 of the Congressional Record, Senate, August 5, 2020, headed Immigration, with interleaved columns. The opening lines, from an earlier speaker, say school districts are reeling from lost revenue and cite an estimate of $490 per student in COVID-related costs. Mr. Menendez, describing himself as the son of Cuban refugees, criticizes the President's order to exclude undocumented immigrants from the 2020 count used to determine representation in Congress, citing the Constitution. He says hundreds of thousands of immigrants have worked as essential frontline workers and raises plans on DACA and TPS. He calls for a relief package including the Childcare Educational Relief Act and the State and Local Stabilization Fund Act.
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“Immigration (Cong. Rec., Aug. 5, 2020).”
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August 5, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4911
are reeling from the loss of revenue due saw with my own eyes what it meant read that it requires an account of all
to the economic shutdown caused by to grow up in an immigrant family in citizens of the then-United States, of
the pandemic. There is no Governor in a low-income tenement in Union City, the Union. It could have read that it is
this country—Republican or Demo- NJ. My mother worked tirelessly as a an account of all citizens and all legal
crat—there is no county administrator seamstress and sacrificed everything to permanent residents. It didn’t read
or city leader who I think would stand make sure that my siblings and I could that either.
up and say: ‘‘We are fine. We don’t need have a better life and a better future, It specifically recognized this be-
any help. We are in great shape.’’ because that is the very essence of cause, as the Union was developing,
No. They all have one message, and it what we call the American dream. It is there were people from different walks
has been coming through from the Na- about ensuring that the next genera- of life in the United States, and it pur-
tional Association of Republican Gov- tion has it better than we do and that posely understood that not all of them
ernors and the National Association of our children and grandchildren and would necessarily be citizens at the
Democratic Governors: You must give their children and grandchildren have time of accounting, but who was in
us resources and flexibility to use these greater opportunities than we do to re- America at any given time from the
resources to fulfill our obligation to alize their full potential. creation of the Constitution was im-
the people of our States. It doesn’t matter who you are, where portant—all persons.
That is the message. We are seeing you are from, or when your ancestors My friends, we have been sent here to
school districts across the Nation came to this country. We are a nation serve all of our constituents in our
starting to lay people off in anticipa- built by immigrants. Every single home States, no matter the color of
tion of budget cuts. Even if they are member of this great and storied body their skin, their gender, or their legal
able to maintain current levels of staff- is a descendant of those who came to status.
ing and financial resources, it would America, seeking better lives for them- The history of America is inter-
not be enough to meet the upcoming selves and their loved ones. twined with immigrant stories. In
The President is a second-generation every State of our Union, immigrants
challenges. Even if they could keep
American. His grandfather, Friedrich work in every industry and contribute
their staff in place, where do they get
Trump, came here from Germany. Our in all facets of American life—the most
the extra money for the infrastructure
First Lady is herself an immigrant. important parts of our lives.
repairs, for the traditional Wi-Fi, for They work in our fields, picking our
the additional teaching changes that Yet this administration and President
fruits and vegetables. They are check-
have to take place, for the different ap- Trump have gone to painstaking
ers at grocery stores and construction
proaches to education one must take in lengths to deny, erase, and ignore the
workers, building our bridges and
order to be effective in social contributions of immigrants to Amer-
homes. They educate our children in
distancing? ican life and culture, innovation and our schools. They treat the sick in our
The School Superintendents Associa- ingenuity, economy and prosperity. hospitals as nurses, doctors, and men-
tion of the United States estimates They have worked overtime to deny tal health professionals. They wear the
that the average traditional COVID-re- the very fact that the immigrant story uniform and carry our flag in the U.S.
lated cost per student will be $490. We is America’s story. armed services.
need at least that. As an old saying in Spanish goes, In fact, during this pandemic, hun-
We must go forward with a package (English translation of the statement dreds of thousands of immigrants, in-
that includes provisions of the made in Spanish is as follows): ‘‘There cluding undocumented immigrants,
Childcare Educational Relief Act, the is nothing worse than not wanting to have put their lives on the line to serve
Library Stabilization Fund Act, and see what is right in front of you.’’ as essential frontline workers and to
the State and Local Stabilization Fund Donald Trump’s endless lies and at- keep businesses open, despite the ad-
Act to ensure that this generation of tacks on immigrants started long be- ministration actively seeking to deport
Americans can overcome the pandemic fore he descended down that escalator them.
and reach its full potential. in Trump Tower to announce his run Like many American citizens, they
This is a generational crisis. Just as for the Presidency. They haven’t are risking their lives every day, while
Americans of previous generations stopped since. being disproportionately affected by
have been called upon to sacrifice and The President recently took another COVID–19, to provide others with the
to commit themselves to the young of aggressive step in his war to erase im- services they need and to protect the
this country so that they could have a migrants from the portrait of America health and safety of our fellow Ameri-
better future, we are being called upon when he issued an unconstitutional cans. All the while, they are facing dis-
to do that, and we are waiting for an edict to exclude our undocumented proportionate infection and death rates
answer. brothers and sisters from being count- from this horrible disease. They are the
Thank you. ed in the 2020 census for the purpose of invisible heroes of this pandemic. They
I yield the floor. determining representation in Con- are the ones who make it possible for
I suggest the absence of a quorum. gress. us to receive the essential goods and
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The His message was loud and clear to services so that we can stay home,
clerk will call the roll. immigrant communities across the which is what we are told by the Na-
The senior assistant legislative clerk country: You are not welcome here. tion’s public health officials.
proceeded to call the roll. You don’t belong here. You don’t But the message from the President
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask count. to these essential workers, who per-
unanimous consent that the order for His goal is to instill fear in immi- form backbreaking work in our fields,
the quorum call be rescinded. grant communities, and that is shame- care for our children, or treat you at
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. ful and un-American. the hospital is: You are not worthy.
CRAMER). Without objection, it is so or- Let’s be clear. The U.S. Constitution I ask every single one of my col-
dered. is explicit on this particular point. Ar- leagues if, God forbid, you were in-
f ticle I, section 2 clearly reads: ‘‘Rep- fected with COVID–19, would you really
resentatives and direct Taxes shall be care about the citizenship status of the
IMMIGRATION apportioned among the several States doctor or nurse treating you? Would
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I which may be included within this you ask for his or her legal papers be-
come to the Senate floor to speak Union, according to their respective fore getting help? Would any of you
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about a topic that is very close to my Numbers, which shall be determined by refuse to eat fruit or vegetables in your
heart. adding to the whole Number of free homes picked by the calloused hands of
As the son of Cuban refugees and as a Persons.’’ an undocumented immigrant sweating
first-generation American, the strug- The census requires an accurate in our fields? Would you rather not
gles of immigrant families are not count of all persons living in the coun- have a highway built in your State be-
something I read about in books or try. It does not distinguish between cause the workers have a native lan-
watched on television. I lived them. I status or citizenship. It could have guage other than English?
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S4912 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 5, 2020
Now, many of you would tell me that this administration is planning new ef- izen living in a mixed-status family or
is nonsense. But yet, the Trump Presi- forts to end DACA. It is no secret. They an American child who is the offspring
dency has been marked by deafening si- indicate as much in the latest Depart- of a mixed-status family, you should
lence in the face of this inflammatory, ment of Homeland Security memo. not be denied the cash benefit you are
xenophobic, immoral campaign against And let’s be honest. If it is not out- rightfully entitled to. It is just that
immigrants. right termination they seek, the ad- simple. It is justice. It is what is right.
Just take the example of TPS and ministration will treat the protection In the face of this tremendous public
DACA beneficiaries. As my home State of Dreamers as a bargaining chip in health crisis, we should not let the in-
of New Jersey struggled in the early order to undo our legal immigration sidious, cruel, and relentless
days of the pandemic—until recently, system. They want to cut legal family scapegoating of immigrants prevent us
we had the second-most cases of immigration in exchange for what they from providing much needed relief to
COVID–19—temporary protective sta- call a merit-based immigration system. the very same families and workers
tus holders like Madelia Cartagena in That would be pretty shameful and of- who are helping us survive. All families
Newark and Dreamers like Daysi from fensive because there are many who are deserve to be treated with dignity. It is
Monmouth County rose to the chal- here who would never be here under a the humane thing to do.
lenge presented by the pandemic. merit-based system. But that is not all. As we expanded
As more than 131,000 temporary pro- This administration and my Repub- access to free COVID–19 testing, un-
tective status holders across the Na- lican colleagues need to open their documented immigrants were left be-
tion, and 7,500 in New Jersey alone, eyes and realize how we are treating hind. Now, that makes no sense. The
Madelia was considered an essential immigrants in this country. We need coronavirus doesn’t check your status
worker as the company she has worked them to do it now, in this moment, as before it infects you.
for in the last 17 years had to respond we are pleading with our colleagues to An undocumented immigrant living
to the increasing demand for sanitizer do what is right, to give families a in America with COVID–19 is no less a
dispensers. fighting chance to beat the virus and threat to become a seriously ill indi-
For Daysi, the fact that she was put the economy back on track. vidual or spread the virus than an
brought to the United States from Cen- We can’t turn a blind eye to the fact American citizen who has been in-
tral America at just 9 years old meant that immigrant families will likely be fected. The virus does not discriminate
nothing to the patients whose lives she excluded from help desperately needed on race, gender, ethnicity, borders, or
was helping to save. What mattered is during this pandemic in the next legal status. As a public health propo-
that she showed up when she was need- COVID–19 package. sition, you want everybody to be test-
ed, and that she did so despite the lin- So far, undocumented immigrants ed.
gering threat that DACA, or deferred who pay their taxes and selflessly risk Given the pandemic’s dispropor-
action for children arrivals, would be their lives as essential workers to save tionate impact on low-income and
abruptly terminated, and with it her others have been deliberately excluded communities of color and the fact that
ability to remain in this country. She from the Federal pandemic assistance those communities of color are serving
showed up every day, helping to save Congress has provided. in essential industries, I would argue
lives. Virtually all immigrants who use an that they are more likely to be in-
Put simply, TPS holders like Madelia individual taxpayer identification fected.
and DACA beneficiaries like Daysi help number—or as we call it, an ITIN—to What good is it to any one of us if
us heal and will also help our economy file their Federal taxes under U.S. law, someone, regardless of who or where
recover. They represent among the best which is totally permissible, and their they are, is walking around with an
of America. U.S. citizen spouses—U.S. citizen undiagnosed case of COVID–19 because
To give you some context, when I say spouses—and children were left out they weren’t eligible for a test? That
they will help our economy recover, from any economic impact payments person can unwittingly infect their rel-
Dreamers bring in a net $3.4 billion an- in the CARES Act. atives, their neighbors, and their co-
nually to the U.S. Treasury and gen- In other words, we denied American workers.
erate $42 billion in gross domestic prod- citizens and their American citizen If we ever want to see our economy
uct each year—Dreamers. children badly needed assistance as a and lives return to some semblance of
Yet the administration has fought punishment—as a punishment—for normal, there must be access to free
tooth and nail to send Dreamers pack- being married to an undocumented im- COVID–19 testing, treatment, and vac-
ing, despite the American flag being migrant or belonging to a mixed-status cines for everyone living in the United
the only one they have ever pledged al- family during this economic emer- States—everyone living in the United
legiance to and the national anthem gency. States, and that includes regardless of
being the only national anthem they I grew up believing that an American immigration status.
have ever sung. citizen is an American citizen—is an America has to do better to acknowl-
Even after the Supreme Court’s re- American citizen, regardless of whom I edge the hard work, sacrifice, and con-
cent ruling—the Supreme Court, the marry, regardless of whether my chil- tribution of immigrants. Sadly, these
highest Court in the land—that the ter- dren are the offspring of one parent past 4 years have seen a rise in hate
mination of DACA was unlawful, the who is an American citizen and an- crimes and hateful rhetoric targeting
administration has openly defied the other one who is not. immigrants. Led by the President, im-
Supreme Court’s order by not reopen- Thousands of American citizens were migrants are continuously scapegoated
ing the full DACA Program. denied $1,200 individual stimulus for every problem.
These Dreamers are battling the checks to which other American citi- One of my Senate colleagues even
coronavirus and the Trump administra- zens were entitled to just because of suggested recently that Hispanics were
tion. who they love. American citizen chil- to blame for the rise in COVID cases
Polls show that even a majority of dren were denied $500 in assistance to across our own country, instead of the
Trump voters want to protect Dream- which other American citizen children epic failure of the administration to
ers from deportation, and wide swaths were entitled. It is wrong. develop and implement a national pan-
of registered voters support Dreamers, Are there two classes of American demic response plan or one that in-
regardless of the voter’s gender, edu- children in this country now? Are there cludes culturally competent outreach
cation, income, ethnicity, religion, or two classes of American citizens now? to minority-majority communities.
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ideology. That includes 68 percent of As we consider the next COVID–19 re- As elected officials and leaders in our
Republicans, 71 percent of conserv- lief package, Congress has to fix this communities, we have a moral respon-
atives, and 64 percent of those who ap- injustice. sibility to rise above the immigrant
prove of the job the President is doing. If you work hard, follow the rules, fearmongering and the President’s
But instead of accepting the Supreme and pay your taxes, you deserve tax re- hateful rhetoric to reunite our coun-
Court’s decision and acknowledging the lief, regardless of how you filed. At the try. Not only must we include immi-
enormous contributions of Dreamers, very least, if you are an American cit- grant families in the upcoming relief
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August 5, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4913
package, but to truly address these in- week, the Senate allowed a $600-a-week The House bill would provide hazard
justices, we must reform our immigra- increase in their unemployment bene- pay to essential workers, which is
tion laws once and for all. fits to expire. Over half of the Amer- something that is long, long overdue.
We have to come together as we did ican people have seen a loss in their in- People are putting their lives on the
before here in the Senate—I was part of come. Yet the Senate continues to do line and sometimes dying in order to
that Gang of 8—to restart these long nothing. provide us with groceries or to get us
overdue discussions and find a path for- Forty million Americans—an unbe- to work on a bus or on a train. Those
ward to achieving real immigration re- lievable number—40 million Americans workers need hazard pay, and that is
form. are in danger of being evicted from what the House did.
I have always believed and still be- their homes while the Senate has al- The House also passed a provision in
lieve that reforming our immigration lowed a moratorium on evictions to ex- their legislation to require businesses
laws is the civil rights issue of this pire. to adopt strong health and safety
community and of this time. This is no great shock. Everybody standards to protect their employees
It is time to treat immigrants fairly knew this would happen. Yet the Re- and their customers.
and to recognize their hard work and publican leadership here has allowed The House bill would provide $175 bil-
contributions to this Nation—immi- that moratorium to expire. lion in rental and foreclosure assist-
grants like my mother, Evangelina, Twenty-six million Americans can- ance to make sure that millions of
who came here with nothing but the not afford food to feed their families, Americans do not lose their homes or
conviction that everything in America and those Americans are lining up at get evicted from their apartments and
was possible. She refused to let not emergency food banks in record num- end up out on the streets.
speaking English or her modest wages bers, the vast majority of whom have The House bill also provides vital
as a seamstress stop her from giving us never been to an emergency food bank funding for nutritional assistance, for
in their lives, and the Senate is doing election security—an enormous issue
the best life she could.
And here I am, one of 100 U.S. Sen- nothing. here, whether or not we are going to
A recordbreaking 5.4 million Ameri- have free and fair elections—and also
ators, in a country of over 320 million
cans recently lost their health insur- substantial funding for the U.S. Postal
people. I am the embodiment of that
ance. Under our dysfunctional Service, which is now being sabotaged
American dream, and my story is no
healthcare system, when you lose your by the Trump administration. That is
less meaningful than that of any other
job, you often lose your health insur- what the House passed 2.5 months ago.
immigrant coming to this country or Do I agree with everything that was
in this country to build a better future ance, and that now leaves us with over
in the House bill? No, I don’t. I think
for their family and this Nation. 90 million Americans who are unin-
much of it, however, is excellent. But
That is our past; that is our history; sured or underinsured; that is, 90 mil-
we can and should make improvements
that is our present; and it will be our lion Americans who today worry about
in that bill here in the Senate. That is
future. It is past time that due ac- whether they can afford to go to a doc-
what we should be doing—accepting
knowledgment and respect be given. It tor when they or their kids are sick.
the bill and improving it.
is now time for action. The Senate is doing nothing. Two and a half months after the
I yield the floor. In total, American households have House passed its bill, Senate Repub-
I suggest the absence of a quorum. lost a staggering $6.5 trillion in wealth licans finally woke up, and they said:
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The since this pandemic began. It is an un- We have to do something. We have to
clerk will call the roll. imaginable number. What does that respond. The public wants us to re-
The legislative clerk proceeded to mean? That $6.5 trillion is a number spond. We have to do something. And
call the roll. much too large for many of us to fath- they finally released their bill to re-
Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I ask om, and the Senate does nothing. spond to the coronavirus crisis. Unfor-
unanimous consent that the order for Although I know there is some obfus- tunately, although not surprisingly,
the quorum call be rescinded. cation about this, what everybody in the Republican plan is woefully inad-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without America should understand is that over equate for the working families of our
objection, it is so ordered. 2.5 months ago, the House did its job. country, for the elderly, for their chil-
f Over 2.5 months ago, the U.S. House of dren, and for the poor, while at the
Representatives did its job, and they same time it provides even more cor-
CORONAVIRUS passed legislation responding to the porate welfare to the rich and the pow-
Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, as ev- enormous pain and suffering that the erful. One might think that in the
erybody knows, this country faces at American people are now experiencing. midst of this terrible pandemic, my Re-
this moment an extraordinary set of They did their job, but the Senate has publican colleagues could control
crises—in fact, crises that are unprece- not. themselves just a bit and not pile on
dented in the history of our country. The Heroes Act passed by the House more benefits to the people who don’t
We are in the midst of the worst public in May would extend the $600-a-week need them and maybe—just maybe—
health crisis since the Spanish flu of increase in unemployment benefits pay attention to the people who do
100 years ago, and, sad to say, this Sen- until January. I want everybody to un- need help.
ate has done nothing to address that derstand that. I think sometimes there The Senate Republican bill provides
crisis over the last 21⁄2 months. is confusion. The House did its job. nothing for hazard pay. If you are a
Over the past 4 months, the Under the House bill, if that bill were grocery store worker, if you are a
coronavirus has infected nearly 5 mil- passed here today here in the Senate, truckdriver, if you are a busdriver, if
lion Americans and caused 160,000 people would continue to get that $600 you are working in mass transit, noth-
deaths, and the Senate is doing noth- supplement in their unemployment ing in that bill is provided for hazard
ing. benefits. pay. There is nothing for nutrition as-
Incredibly—and this is incredible— The House bill would provide over sistance and nothing for the 92 million
more Americans have been killed by $900 billion to State and local govern- Americans who are uninsured or under-
the coronavirus than by the Korean ments to prevent the massive layoff of insured. Ninety-two million people are
war, the Vietnam war, the Persian Gulf teachers, firefighters, nurses, construc- uninsured or underinsured in the midst
war, 9/11, the Afghanistan war, and the tion workers, and millions of other of a terrible public health crisis, and
Iraq war combined, and the Senate is workers who are serving the public
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the Republican legislation ignores that
still not acting. during this horrific pandemic. Over 1 reality completely. There is nothing
We are in the midst of the worst eco- million workers who work for State for the U.S. Postal Service and nothing
nomic meltdown since the Great De- and local governments have already for State and local governments, many
pression of the 1930s, and the Senate is lost their jobs, and if we do not provide of which are on the verge of bank-
doing nothing. substantial aid to State and local gov- ruptcy.
Since March, more than 30 million ernments, there will be a mass epi- Here is what that Republican bill
Americans have lost their jobs. Last demic of job loss there. does contain. It does include another
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