McCollum Vote on H.R. 30

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 30.

H.R. 30 undermines the basic constitutional protection of a person being innocent until proven guilty. It subjects immigrants, including those who have been victims of domestic violence, to new grounds of inadmissibility and deportability that do not require a conviction in court. This is an ominous step toward the erosion of the rights of all people in the United States, including citizens.

The U.S. immigration system has been broken for decades. Every bipartisan proposal to fix it has been fractured by Republicans’ refusal to work with Democrats to find effective solutions. 

Now, as we begin the 119^th Congress with Republicans again in the majority, they continue to reject a bipartisan way forward to find real solutions. Instead, Republicans have chosen to bring more deeply flawed messaging bills to the House floor. This legislation does not just target people who are in the United States illegally. Its impact will be felt by many of our neighbors, from green card holders and students to temporary workers and DACA recipients.

Here’s the bottom line: under our existing immigration laws, people who commit domestic violence, sexual offenses, or other heinous crimes are already inadmissible and removable. This bill does not secure the border, nor does it work to fix our immigration system. It only puts innocent people, legally present in the United States, at risk of deportation. Republicans must begin to work toward bipartisan, constructive solutions to fix our broken immigration system.

Thank you, and I yield back.