CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE SPEAKS ON OMAR RAMOS-JIMENEZ FROM FLOOR OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
“Basic humanity must be nonnegotiable” Morelle says in speech
(Washington, D.C.)—Today, Congressman Joe Morelle delivered remarks on the floor of the House of Representatives reflecting on his visit with Omar Ramos-Jimenez, a Rochester resident currently detained by ICE at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, New York.
Congressman Morelle’s remarks, available below, will also appear in the Congressional Record. Video footage is available and can be viewed here.
“I rise today after visiting the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, New York, where I met with my constituent, Omar Ramos-Jimenez.
“Omar has lived in Rochester for three decades. He has worked, paid taxes, raised a family, and built a life in our community.
“He is not a danger to anyone. He is not a flight risk.
“He is a husband, a father, a neighbor, and as we spoke, he kept repeating the same words: ‘I just want to go home.’
“Not to Mexico, to Rochester, because Rochester is his home.
"Donald Trump told the American people he would target violent criminals. The ‘worst of the worst.’
“Instead, we are seeing long-time, productive members of our communities swept up in a system built on fear.
“It’s not about public safety; it’s simply about cruelty.
“And in this moment, we must uphold American values.
“Dignity must be nonnegotiable. Due process must be nonnegotiable.
“Basic humanity must be nonnegotiable.
“I will continue fighting for Omar, for thousands like him, and for an immigration system rooted in fairness, decency, and respect for every person.”
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