00:00Mr. Speaker, back-to-school season should be a time of excitement, a time when families pick
00:07out backpacks, meet teachers, and look ahead toward a year of learning and growth. But for
00:14the Merlose family, a Portland family, homeowners, business owners, and vital members of our
00:21community, this school year begins in fear and heartbreak. Jackie Merlose and her four U.S.
00:28citizen children were detained by Customs and Border Protection and held for two weeks
00:33in a windowless cell without access to legal counsel. After public outcry and a temporary
00:39restraining order from a judge, these U.S. citizen children were released from detention but now
00:46have been separated from their parents who remain in ICE custody. Let's be clear. This cruelty is not
00:54accidental. It's family separation in another name. And it's doing nothing to make our communities
01:00safer. As a mother, a physician, and a lawmaker, I will not stay silent. We need an immigration system
01:09rooted in dignity and justice, not fear. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield back.
01:15For what purpose does the gentleman from Georgia seek recognition?
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