“I rise today in strong opposition to this cruel anti-immigrant Bill. This bill is so bad they even want to destroy legal immigration to this country.

“For decades, our Immigration Laws were discriminatory, favoring Nordic and western Europeans, restricting Italians and Jews, and banning Chinese completely. Finally, in 1965, during the Civil Rights Movement, Sen. Ted Kennedy ushered in a fair immigration system based on family unification. Because this system brings families together, immigrant households are less likely to rely on public benefits, and immigrants are also buying homes and starting businesses at a faster rate.

“But now, with this bill, Republicans are trying undo that progress and make America white again.

“Worse, they’re tearing families apart to do this. While Trump and Republicans are ripping parents from children at the border, they’re trying to do the same through our immigration laws. This war on families must stop.”