ICYMI: Congresswoman Simon Opening Statement at House Oversight Committee “Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) was recently appointed by House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Robert Garcia (D-CA) as the top Democrat of the newly established so-called "Oversight Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses."

This week, the Task Force held its second hearing focused on the U.S. immigration system. In her opening remarks, Congresswoman Simon called out Republicans' hypocrisy in calling a hearing to look at the "abuses" of the immigration system, but refusing to answer basic questions about the lack of due process, detention center conditions, and ICE's killing and detainment of American citizens. In case you missed it, Congresswoman Simon's opening remarks can be found below.

"I find it rather ironic that we're holding a hearing today that ignores the systemic abuse of constitutional rights by our current administration. Now, if we are serious about addressing our broken immigration system, then we cannot only scrutinize those navigating that system. We must also scrutinize the government's role in driving the chaos and the abuse.

"The Constitution is a promise, a promise that government power will be exercised fairly. It is a promise that no one will be denied due process under the law. Now, at this moment, when the Republicans are pushing through a second reconciliation or funding package to provide billions in additional funding for immigration enforcement, we in this room have an obligation to ask whether those resources will uphold constitutional rights and human dignity. As taxpayers, we have to ask those questions now. Our taxpayers are being asked to finance more detention facilities while basic questions around accountability remain unanswered across this country.

"From Oakland, where I represent, to Minnesota people are asking whether their government sees their humanity. [People] are watching families separated. Communities are living in fear, and lives are forever changed by federal enforcement activities and actions carried out in their own neighborhoods. Now, before we give another dollar to this Administration's immigration enforcement machine, we must examine consequences of these policies firsthand.

"We should be examining facilities like Delaney Hall, where reports of inadequate medical care have been met by this Administration with indifference. We should be talking about American citizens who have been killed and wrongfully detained. Or [we should be talking about] how immigrant detainees are dying in custody and children, babies, are left wondering if they'll ever see their parents again.

"Allegations of excessive force and medical neglect, and the mishandling of sexual assault cases, rape deserve serious oversight - not billions of dollars and more funding for unaccountable and unaccountable agencies like ICE and CBP. Rather than making communities safer, I assert that this Administration is terrorizing them in our communities.

"As a representative of one of the most diverse districts in this nation, I approach this issue today through the premise and the praxis of both humanity and the law. Immigrants are workers. They are scientists. They are physicians. They are caregivers and taxpayers, part of our communities and part of our economy. And they should not be scapegoated. They should not be scapegoated for the economic challenges facing working families across our nation.

"The Bay Area Council Economic Institute found that the Bay Area alone stands to lose $67 billion in regional GDP and $8.4 billion of annual tax revenue from this Administration's immigration enforcement activities. Now, the true measure of our values in this country is not how we treat and anoint the powerful, but how we treat the people with the least power in the room.

"When families are torn apart, when people are dying in custody without due process, and when constitutional rights are denied and ignored, our responsibility is not to look the other way. Our responsibility is to demand accountability, to protect human dignity, and to ensure that government power is never, ever exercised without scrutiny. That is the standard that I hope this hearing will uphold, and I look forward to hearing all of the testimony and the comments from our witnesses."

Oversight Democrats on the Task Force, led by Congresswoman Simon, will examine systemic barriers and unlawful discrimination in employment, education, housing, and healthcare; fight for humane immigration policies and social programs that protect workers and families; fight disinformation and attempts to suppress civic engagement; and defend voting rights, academic freedom, and democratic participation. Oversight Democrats will also utilize the Task Force to address broader matters related to civil rights, democratic governance, and equal justice under law.

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