NEWS: Senator Blunt Rochester Delivers Remarks with State of the Union Guest on the Chaos of the Trump Administration

"These moments of chaos are also in the same wake of extraordinary strength from everyday Americans. One such American is Maria Mesias-Tatnall, who is here with me today."

The full press conference, including remarks from Senator Blunt Rochester and Maria Mesias-Tatnall, can be viewed here.

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) today joined Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) at a press conference ahead of tonight's State of the Union address along with their guests. Senator Blunt Rochester's guest is Maria Mesias-Tatnall, director of outreach & immigration assistance at the Delaware Department of Justice.

Senator Blunt Rochester outlined the fear many Delawareans are feeling because of the Trump administration's reckless immigration enforcement and explained why she invited Mesias-Tatnall to be her guest this evening.

Below are excerpts of Senator Blunt Rochester's remarks:

"Tonight, the president will talk about an America that working families don't even recognize. He will say that prices have gone down, but Americans are still choosing…between paying their premiums, paying their rent, or buying groceries. He will say that he is the president of peace while he draws us closer to war. And he will say our country is safer while ICE agents are deployed in communities in ways that spread fear instead of promoting safety. So, let's be clear. The only thing that this president has done is lead with fear and sow chaos."

"The administration has turned vibrant American neighborhoods into places where people are even afraid to leave their homes, go to supermarkets. In my state, kids are not even going to Head Start or attending church. However, these moments of chaos are also in the same wake of extraordinary strength from everyday Americans. One such American is Maria Mesias-Tatnall, who is here with me today."

"Maria, to me, represents so many people, the unsung heroes. Maybe they don't have the big title, they're not elected, but they're the people that are doing the work each and every day to make people feel safe in our communities. And so today and tonight, it was important for me to bring somebody here who represented all of them. She represents to me all that is good and kind in our country. She represents humanity in a time where some people are acting very inhumane."

"I don't know what we're going to hear tonight. I have no idea. But what I do know, what I do believe, is that love is much stronger than hate. And people like Maria, people like the ones standing up here are representative of that."

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Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the United States Senate where she serves on the Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.