Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, April is Arab American Heritage Month, and I rise today to celebrate Little Palestine, a vibrant community in the southwest region of Cook County, in my district.

In the early 20th century, families from the small Palestinian town of Betunia immigrated to Chicago, attracted by the city's prosperity.

Many found jobs in hotels, restaurants, and factories. Many of their U.S.-born children proudly served in the military and served their country. This entrepreneurial community soon began to open up bakeries, restaurants, markets, and specialty fashion stores.

Now, there are more than 200 Arab-owned businesses in Little Palestine. Little Palestine also has cultural centers, community service organizations, and mosques, contributing toward making it a close-knit community that honors the rich culture, heritage, and spirit of the Arab-American community.

I am proud and grateful for the contributions that the families, businesses, and cultural centers of Little Palestine bring to my district and to Chicagoland.

Honoring Poet Gregorio Gomez Aguayo

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Gregorio Gomez Aguayo, a talented writer, poet, producer, and organizer.

Gregorio has been nominated for the award of poet laureate of the State of Illinois twice and has been selected as part of Chicago's Newcity Lit 50, which highlights the city's 50 most influential people in Chicago in the literary scene.

Born in Veracruz, Mexico, Gregorio has been a part of Chicago's artistic and spoken word community for almost 40 years. His poetry delves into themes of heritage, identity, and the human experience and navigates the duality of his Mexican roots and his American upbringing.

Last weekend, in Chicago, Gregorio presented his most recent poetry collection, ``Requiem: Journey Thru a Poetic Odyssey,'' and I can't wait to read all of it.

I congratulate Gregorio on his new work.

Recognizing Mayda Del Valle

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate South Side native Mayda Del Valle, who has been named Chicago's next poet laureate.

Mayda is a poet, educator, and interdisciplinary artist who will now serve as ambassador for our city's literary and creative communities.

Rooted in her Puerto Rican diaspora, her work invites audiences to see themselves reflected on it. She challenges us to remember where we come from and imagine what we can build together.

Mayda has been recognized as one of America's young innovators in the arts and sciences. She has performed on stages across the Nation. As a dedicated educator, Mayda has taught poetry in schools, colleges, and youth detention facilities, inspiring the next generation of artists.

I congratulate Mayda on this extraordinary honor.

Recognizing Arise Chicago on 35th Anniversary

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Arise Chicago, an organization founded by a coalition of religious leaders on the principle that all workers deserve dignity in the workplace.

Its strategic vision includes effective education, advocacy efforts, and programs to empower workers to take action beyond their workplaces. Thanks to Arise Chicago's efforts, thousands of workers have recovered more than $10 million in stolen wages and compensation and increased their wages by over $6 million.

In 2026, Arise continues to work to eradicate harassment and discrimination from the workplace, to ensure fair payment, and to educate immigrant workers about their rights in the midst of the anti- immigrant environment that our country is living in.

I am grateful for Arise Chicago's work, and I look forward to continuing to partner with them.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Dexter and Tonko for shining a spotlight on the impact on children from the enforcement efforts of ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents.

Here is what is happening in communities across the country: A 1- year-old baby and his parents are pepper-sprayed while driving to the grocery store.

A high school student was zip-tied and detained on his way to school despite his U.S. citizenship, and he was detained for several days.

Families with children were ripped out of bed in the dead of night, zip-tied, and detained after the apartments that they lived in were raided by agents using military helicopters, so Kristi Noem could get her videos.

Children at a daycare were startled, scared, and traumatized by the armed agents bursting into their classrooms, chasing one of their teachers to abduct her.

These scenes are not from a war zone. These are violent incidents that happened in Cicero, in Roscoe Village, in South Shore, and in my own neighborhood of Little Village in Chicagoland.

Those were ICE and CBP agents, paid by our tax dollars, committing atrocities, targeting my constituents and their children because of the color of their skin or the places where their parents worked.

More than 500 children were being held at the immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas, in January alone. Many for more than twice the 20 days that the law allows the government to hold children in detention.

We have seen the pictures drawn by some of these children. Their letters longing for their friends, schools, and families, a return to normalcy. Then the administration took away their crayons and paper so that people outside the detention center wouldn't learn what was happening inside.

Right now, two of my constituents are detained at Dilley, a mother and her 13-year-old son who were taken by ICE at a routine check-in appointment. Both had developed serious physical and mental issues, but ICE is denying them medical attention and medication.

They are not the only ones. Children have suffered for months because of the abuses of ICE and CBP agents. Many of them may never overcome the trauma caused by their time in detention and the violent actions of our own government.

The stories I shared are just some of the children we know about. There are hundreds of children terrorized by ICE who we don't know about.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my Republican colleagues, what is the purpose of imprisoning innocent children? No moral or legal argument exists to justify imprisoning and neglecting children. I implore my Republican colleagues to care for these children as if they were our own. Anything less is inexcusable.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Rick Garcia, a giant in the fight for equality in Illinois.

I met Rick in the 1980s when being out, visible, and unapologetic came with real risk. We used to call each other primos or cousins because we shared the same last name.

Rick believed that change didn't happen by accident and worked across political, religious, and community lines to build unlikely coalitions. He helped pass Illinois' landmark ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation.

As a cofounder of Equality Illinois, Rick fought to ensure that love and identity are never grounds for discrimination.

Rick's legacy lives on in the movement he helped build and the laws he helped pass, which are now as important as ever.

May we honor his legacy in action. May Rick rest in power.

Losing Benefits

Mr. Speaker, the price of groceries keeps going up. Starting this week, 4 million people per month will be pushed off their food stamps. In Illinois alone, 360,000 people will lose those benefits. All due to cuts from the big, ugly bill.

Americans are being forced to go hungry so the President can pay for his terror campaign in our cities. Children, people with disabilities, and veterans will lose their ability to put food on the table.

Food pantries are already seeing longer lines for services. Local grocers warn that this will impact them, too, as people will be unable to shop for food. SNAP benefits are not just a safety net. They also foster economic activity and community stability.

The President has made his priorities clear by cutting food assistance for millions of Americans to fund his agenda, while families are pushed closer to hunger.

They can lie, tell us to ignore what we see and experience, but the American people will not forget.

Mr. Speaker, today we honor the spirit of a son of Chicago whose game carried the heartbeat of a city, Derrick Rose.

From the blacktops of Englewood to the bright lights of the United Center, Rose showed not only talent, but will and determination. He played basketball the way that Chicago lives: fast, fearless, and unafraid of the hard road.

As the youngest MVP in NBA history, Derrick Rose attacked the lane like it owed him something, lifting up the franchise and a fan base that saw itself in his humility.

He never asked to be a sports hero, yet he became one with a quiet grace that spoke louder than the celebration.

Then came the injuries, but Derrick Rose came back again and again, teaching young people that setbacks do not cancel destiny.

Derrick Rose reminded Chicagoans and this Nation that even when you fall, you rise. For that we honor not just the basketball player but a symbol of enduring American grit.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today with both anger and urgency.

What we are witnessing in this country is not law enforcement. It is violence followed by lies. It is authority without accountability.

Since Trump returned to power, at least 36 people have died in ICE custody, and 2 have been shot and killed by ICE agents. These are not just numbers. They are lives, people with families. We must say their names, tell their stories, and stop state-sanctioned violence.

Last week in Minneapolis, a 37-year-old American mother, Renee Good, was killed by an ICE agent. It was caught on video for the world to see. Almost immediately, the lies began.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said that Renee Good posed an imminent threat, even floating the words ``domestic terrorism.'' Yet, the facts don't back this up. Eyewitnesses don't back this up. The video doesn't back up the lies repeated by DHS immediately after the killing.

State law enforcement in Minnesota have been blocked from the vehicle where Renee was killed because the FBI sealed it off, blocking transparency and accountability.

Renee Good's murder is not an isolated incident. In my community, we know this pattern all too well. In September, Silverio Villegas Gonzalez, a father of two, was killed by ICE on the side of a road in my district after dropping off his kids at school. Right on cue, we got the same script: immediate vague allegations by DHS, lies instead of facts, no transparency, no accountability, and no respect for the family left behind.

There was also Marimar Martinez, another constituent. An ICE agent shot her five times and then arrested her. ICE leveled serious criminal accusations to justify it. Later, quietly, those charges were dropped. Why? It was because they were lies, but the damage was done. Her name was dragged through the mud. Her family was terrorized. Her community is still shaken.

This was how a teacher in our community was victimized, and it didn't stop there.

Juan Espinoza Martinez, also from my district, was accused of serious conspiracy to commit crimes that never happened. ICE made them up and publicly smeared his name. Those charges were dropped as well because they were false. There was no apology, no discipline, and no consequences.

ICE acts first and then lies. The lie sets the frame. The truth is forced to play defense.

In 2025, Republicans gave ICE $75 billion, a nearly 300 percent increase in its annual budget, at the same time that they stripped millions of Americans of their healthcare. Republicans now want to give ICE and Border Patrol even more money.

We are asked to fund an agency that does the following: sends masked agents into communities like my neighborhood to use loaded guns and tear gas against our neighbors. It arrests people without warrants. It engages in obscene racial profiling and discrimination that communities see clearly, even when Washington looks away. It stops Members of Congress from inspecting detention centers, which is their duty as a coequal branch of government.

These facts should outrage every Member of this House. If you believe in the rule of law, you should be furious. If you believe in congressional oversight, you should be furious. If you believe that Federal agencies should not lie to justify violence, you should be furious because when an agency lies to the public, lies to the courts, and lies to Congress, they are spitting in our faces.

This is not about being for or against immigration enforcement. This is about whether we tolerate violence followed by coverups. This is about whether or not we accept fabricated charges as a means of intimidation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Food Market La Chiquita on their 40th anniversary. In 1986, Alfredo Linares, an immigrant from Mexico, took a chance. He got a loan and bought a corner store in my neighborhood of Little Village.

Four decades later, you can find La Chiquita stores throughout the metro Chicago area, and it continues to be a family-owned business that makes each customer feel welcome and part of the family.

When you walk into any of their stores, you are greeted by the vibrant colors of the fresh produce and the unmistakable aromas coming from the kitchen, an invitation not just to shop but to feel at home.

It is almost impossible to go shopping and not get some tacos from La Chiquita's in-store restaurants. Some days, you will find me chowing down on a torta and chatting with constituents on their break from work.

The secret to their success is simple but powerful: high-quality products, exceptional service for their customers, and a deep understanding of the community.

I look forward to many more decades of success for La Chiquita. I congratulate them.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Carl Rosen, one of the legendary architects of working-class power in Chicago.

As president of the United Electrical Workers, Carl has always understood that power is never given. It is organized, disciplined, and won.

From the shop floor to the ballot box, he has been instrumental in building real power for working-class communities. A master tactician and negotiator, he knows when to apply pressure, when to build alliances, and when to move decisively.

From the Republic Windows fight to other moments that shaped Chicago's political order, Carl has been a steady

presence, helping working people secure monumental victories.

I am proud to call Carl a friend and one of my closest and most trusted advisers. To some, he is a strategist, and to others, he is an organizer. I think he is a faithful interpreter of working-class power and a whisperer of the proletariat. To Carl, here is to our legacy years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose the Trump administration's outrageous overreach on immigration that is tearing families apart in my district and around the country.

Since taking office, Trump has declared war on our communities. Masked ICE and CBP thugs--I call them thugs because they don't identify themselves. In our State, police officers, law enforcement, always identify themselves. They have detained parents on their way to work. They have kidnapped U.S. citizens. They have tear-gassed people, including children. They have deployed the National Guard to our cities and terrorized hardworking immigrants who are following the rules, all without warning, charges, or due process.

This administration is abusing its power to trample on the Constitution and our civil rights. Federal agents have shot two of my constituents, one fatally. In the other, when they brought about charges, the case fell apart and the charges were dropped. That case was alluded to earlier in this presentation.

When agents show up in schools, hospitals, or factories without clear authority or regard for court orders, they send a message to everyone that their rights are conditional.

When agents run into a daycare center and drag out a teacher in front of the children and parents, they are not following the law. They are using gestapo tactics.

None of this is about public safety. More than 4,000 people have been arrested by Federal agents in Chicago, but only about 3 percent have any type of criminal records.

When the government goes after people just because of the color of their skin or the jobs that they hold, they are not going after criminals. They are clearly using racial profiling to meet the arbitrary detention quotas they have been given.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus are standing up for the people. We are calling for transparency, tracking every incident, and working on laws to curb unchecked power and to restore our constitutional rights.

In the Fourth District and across the country, every family deserves to feel safe and respected, knowing that their government is there to protect their rights and uphold the law. We intend to hold this administration accountable when they don't, every single time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 20th anniversary of New Life Centers, an organization that I am proud to represent in my district.

Led by Pastor Matt DeMateo, New Life Centers started as a small group working on community violence intervention programs and is now a citywide movement providing our youth with mentoring, education, sports, play, summer day camps, after-school, and peacemaking programs.

Its community-based, hands-on approach has played a key role in driving down gun violence in our neighborhood of Little Village. New Life Centers Community Care programs also serve more than 45,000 individuals in need of housing, food, and other necessities. Its Pan de Vida Fresh Market distributes food to more than 35,000 individuals per year, filling the gaps that the funding cuts to Federal nutrition programs have created.

When Operation Midway Blitz brought chaos and pain to our community, Pastor Matt and New Life Centers responded by supporting immigrant families, taking food to their homes, and helping find loved ones that ICE had taken.

Mr. Speaker, the work of New Life Centers helps strengthen our community through faith, hope, and healing. I look forward to many more years of partnerships to change the lives and change neighborhoods.

Recognizing Otis P. Graves Elementary School

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great pride to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Otis P. Graves Elementary School in my district.

Its dual language model develops bilingual and biliterate students that can succeed and be proficient in English and Spanish, opening future opportunities in an increasingly global society.

Even through the challenging moments our community has faced this year, this school has remained a safe and welcoming place for all kids and has promoted and instilled a love of learning. No matter what may be happening at home or in the world, these kids know that they can come here to learn and feel supported.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to represent them in Congress, and I applaud the teachers, staff, administrators, and families that have helped build this milestone.

Congratulations to Otis P. Graves, and here is to 100 more years.

175th Anniversary of Leyden Township

Mr. Speaker, as the year comes to an end, I join Leyden Township in Cook County, Illinois, in celebration of the 175th anniversary of its establishment.

In addition to the unincorporated areas, the Leyden Township borders include part of Rosemont, Schiller Park, Franklin Park, part of Northlake, River Grove, Elmwood Park, parts of Melrose Park, Park Ridge, the most western part of Norridge and Bensenville, east of County Line Road.

Leyden Township is a place where neighbors care about each other and love spending time getting to know each other. You just have to attend one of their bingo nights to understand what I mean.

With more than 93,000 residents, Leyden Township takes care of their people. They have a pantry for those in need, a township handyman that provides free services for seniors, and a recreation department dedicated to building a stronger community through educational and recreational programming.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Leyden Township on its first 175 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to proudly honor the Chicago city champs, the members of the Farragut Career Academy 16- inch softball team from my district.

At a time when ICE raids swept through our neighborhoods while DHS carried out Operation Midway Blitz, these remarkable young people brought a ray of hope and something truly worth celebrating to Little Village.

They persevered through these challenges, remained focused, and put in the hard work required to become champions. They have a great underdog story, a testament to determination, discipline, raw talent, and what it can achieve.

The Farragut Career Academy 16-inch softball team is an inspiring example of the pride and resilience that define Little Village.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate them. They have made us beyond proud.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here, believe it or not, with a grateful heart. Over the last several days, many of my colleagues have reached out with kindness and understanding. I appreciate their concern for me and their desire to keep our Caucus united.

I wasn't expecting to stand here to debate my retirement, but before any of us are Members of Congress, we are husbands, we are grandfathers, we are sons, we are mothers, and we are sisters. We are regular people, but life reminds us that our jobs come second to the people waiting for us at home.

After nearly 40 years of public service, I decided not to seek a fifth term, and I am proud to have served with integrity and respect.

I turn 70 next spring, and I decided that it was time to dedicate more of my time to the people who have sacrificed the most so that I could serve: my wife of almost 50 years, my children, my grandchildren, and the family that steadied me through victories and through heartbreak.

When my daughter, Rosa, passed away in 2023 and left us four beautiful young children, it shook our entire world. Overnight, our house became a home for those kids. We did what every family does: We stepped up. We held them close, and we gave them love and stability.

Despite dealing with multiple sclerosis, my wife, Evelyn, carried the heaviest load as their day-to-day caregiver. Because of my wife, I was able to keep meeting the responsibilities of my job here and in the district.

I filed to run for Congress because this work is more important than ever, and I wanted to deliver for my community and to be part, hopefully, of a new House majority next year.

I followed the rules of Illinois and its election law. When the ballot was open for anyone to file--as they had over the past 6 years and the four times that I stood for election--and contrary to claims that were made earlier today, I did not circulate any petitions that I was accused of circulating. I only circulated when I filed on the first day.

As I looked ahead, I had to be honest about what the next term would demand and what my family needed. I saw the big picture: supporting my wife as we manage her illness, taking better care of my own health, and being present for the grandson that we just adopted 2 weeks ago. It was a tough decision, but I made that choice as any husband, father, and grandfather would make at that moment. I stood by my family values, as we ask others to do.

Every one of us knows the pressures that come with serving here, but I hope that none of my colleagues ever face the circumstances that my family has faced in the last 3 years.

Meanwhile, my district and my community are under assault by our own government, and I ask my colleagues to listen. Members may have seen the reports, but pictures don't convey the screams of families being separated, U.S. citizens being arrested without cause, and the indiscriminate gassing of innocent families, including a 1-year-old just a week ago.

Families in my district are living with fear and trauma that no one should have to endure in our country.

Last week, we returned after 54 days with the House shuttered, including a 43-day shutdown. We returned hoping for Democratic unity. Therefore, I was shocked to be called out in a resolution on the House floor.

I think you would agree with me that voters don't want these arguments in Congress. The voters want us to be working to help them afford healthcare, rent, and childcare.

Mr. Speaker, none of us wants to spend the next year trading divisive disapproval resolutions.

The Speaker pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.

Our voters do not want this either. We should not be distracted by political ploys when our constituents want us to stay focused and to deliver for them.

I am going to finish my term with the same love and commitment that I brought to my first day of Congress here. When I arrived in this country as

a 10-year-old, I never dreamed I would be here. I hope that we can all agree on this: When a colleague chooses his family, that shouldn't be a moment for division. It should be a moment for understanding and unity. One day you might be the one making that choice, and you shouldn't have to debate it on the House floor.

Mr. Speaker, as we begin Hispanic Heritage Month, I want to honor the millions of Latinos and Latinas who make this country strong. We celebrate our culture and sacrifices.

This year, it comes with urgency because we are under attack. Last week, the Department of Homeland Security attacked me on X, insisting they deport only criminals. If you walk the streets of my district, Mr. Speaker, you see the truth, and it looks nothing like their tweets.

Last Friday, in Franklin Park, a suburb in my district, Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez left his home like any other day. He was a restaurant worker, and he enjoyed cooking. He was a devoted father. He never came home. ICE agents stopped him, and within minutes of dropping his kids off at school, he was shot and killed in broad daylight that morning.

First, they said that he drove at officers. Videos show otherwise. Then, they said that he dragged an officer. We have yet to see the evidence. They said that the officer feared for his life, but neighbors' videos capture gunshots and then a car coasting. Silverio was already incapacitated before crashing into a semitrailer.

Those same videos show officers, including the one supposedly seriously injured, smashing the window, dragging Silverio's lifeless body out, slamming him onto the pavement, and handcuffing him as he bled out.

Silverio didn't make it. DHS' story doesn't add up.

A man is dead. A family is shattered, and the agency responsible keeps hiding behind masked thugs and unmarked cars. I use that term because that is how so many agents are acting, either voluntarily or not.

ICE and DHS have no credibility, and neither do their stories. They have lost it.

Reports indicate that officers involved were not wearing body cameras. This is not law enforcement. This is becoming an American gestapo.

Silverio's tragedy is not alone. It affects families every day now. That same day, in Little Village, ICE arrested William Gimenez, a day laborer, as he walked into a barber shop with his wife. William was a lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against Home Depot and local police for abuse. ICE retaliated.

We all saw the Cicero case: children were left crying on the side of an industrial road after the parents were taken away by ICE. That is state-sanctioned cruelty against children, the President's specialty.

DHS insists they target criminal immigrants, yet in Elgin, in the dead of night, ICE staged a reckless raid with helicopters and armored trucks parading detainees for cameras. Secretary Noem showed up for 5 seconds of fame and rushed to declare: Mission accomplished.

The reality is two U.S. citizens were detained. They were not criminals; not even immigrants.

To quote the President: They don't know what they are doing.

What we see are workers punished, children traumatized, U.S. citizens abducted in their sleep, and a father, Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, shot dead. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of cases like this.

We celebrate Hispanic heritage, but we also issue a warning. Today it is Latinos and other immigrants under attack. Tomorrow it will be others. Once institutions are built to target and control, they don't surrender power, they expand it.

Like the military-industrial complex, they find new enemies and new missions, new excuses to keep the money flowing and the machinery of fear alive.

That is why we will not look away. This is bigger than one community and bigger than one city. It is about the kind of country we are becoming.

Chicago will not be intimidated, and I will not stop demanding truth and dignity for Silverio, William, or the children in Cicero, and for every family who deserves to live free from state terror.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the outstanding athletes of the Clarendon Hills Little League team, who recently finished an incredible season.

This remarkable group made local history by advancing all the way to the 2025 Little League World Series, a testament to their dedication, discipline, and work ethic.

Like so many baseball fans across the country, I was inspired by their determination and spirit. They have certainly captured our hearts. While they may have fallen short of the ultimate prize, their accomplishments are something to be celebrated.

Congratulations to the Clarendon Hills Little League team. They have made our community and all of us incredibly proud. We can't wait to see what they will achieve next season.

Honoring Michael Nolan

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent, Michael Nolan, who dedicated 48 years of his life to serve our country at the Social Security Administration.

He is a great example of dedication and service to his fellow Americans.

Mike Nolan wanted to be a Catholic priest, but he left the seminary system in 1975. When he heard of an agency that would help the aged and the disabled, he felt the need to apply to work for the Social Security Administration.

He ensured the Social Security Act worked for people and took his calling seriously by serving and advocating for the rights of beneficiaries.

We are grateful to Michael Nolan's contributions to the Social Security Administration, including the modernization of the systems, disability policy, and unhoused population advocacy.

I thank him for his service to our country and wish him the best on his well-earned retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great pride to celebrate Burbank American Little League, a beloved youth organization in my district which started in 1954 and currently serves 350 kids, ages 4 through 16.

As a lifelong baseball fan, I love watching these young players take the field with determination and energy. Just this summer, the minor league division, the 10-year-olds, made it to the State tournament, while the senior team won the fourth consecutive Central Region Tournament, something no other team has done before, and went on to represent our State in the Little League Senior League Baseball World Series.

Through every hard day of practice under the Sun, these young athletes build character and grow into independent adults.

Congratulations to the Burbank American Little League for their hard work. I look forward to many more seasons of teamwork and, of course, playing ball.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent and dear friend, Gullermina Heredia, known lovingly as ``Mina,'' who passed away on July 2.

A proud Mexican American, Mina's family moved to Chicago from Texas in search of better opportunities. As a student at Northeastern Illinois University, she joined the Organization of Latin American Students, where she met her husband, Carlos. She later served as president of the organization, inspiring a new generation of Latino students in Chicago.

After graduation, Mina became a social worker, uplifting countless lives with her warmth and strength. She had a unique ability to make people, especially Latinos and Latinas, feel seen and cared for.

Mina had a gift for bringing people together, and her karaoke nights with Carlos, her husband, were legendary.

Mina was deeply loved and will be remembered for her service and spirit.

My thoughts are with her sons and grandchildren, friends, and all those who were fortunate to know her. We will miss Mina, and we will carry forward the compassion and strength that she showed all of us.

Celebrating 79th Birthday of Carlos Arango

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a giant in our community, Carlos Arango, as he approaches his 79th birthday.

For over two decades, Carlos has been a pillar of Chicago's immigrant rights movement, organizing marches, building institutions, and mentoring generations of activists, often behind the scenes, always with purpose.

Carlos stood on the front lines when it wasn't popular, and he stayed when others moved on. He was instrumental in the strength behind Casa Aztlan, not just a building but a beacon of self-determination, cultural pride, and community defense. Through it, he helped countless immigrants find power, purpose, and a place to belong.

Throughout every political storm, Carlos has remained unapologetically proud of his roots, his people, and, yes, of Los Pumas at the University of Mexico, whose jersey he wears like armor. He is more than an organizer. He is a keeper of memory, a fighter for justice, and a dear friend.

Madam Speaker, I thank Carlos for never backing down and for showing us what commitment is all about. I wish him a happy birthday, and may his struggle live on.

Honoring Brigadier General Jorge Fonseca

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent, Brigadier General Jorge Fonseca, a decorated veteran and proud son of Little Village, on his recent promotion as director of the Joint Staff of the Illinois National Guard.

Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Jorge came to Chicago with his family and has dedicated over 30 years to public service, beginning as an enlisted combat medic and later commissioned as a Medical Service Corps officer.

He served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. His path was not easy, but his tenacity carried him through the toughest moments of his career.

Today, his success inspires a new generation of Latinos and Latinas to serve. His journey is a reminder that patriotism isn't defined by birthplace, but by service, sacrifice, and a love of country.

Madam Speaker, I salute General Fonseca. He has made his family, his city, and his country proud.

Recognizing Sergeant Efrain Mata

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sergeant Efrain Mata, a proud son of 18th Street in Chicago who will be retiring from the Cook County Sheriff's Department after nearly 30 years of distinguished and transformative service.

Sergeant Mata is not only respected for his honor, loyalty, and sharp instincts but also for his vision. He helped pioneer behavioral health and emergency response strategies now being implemented across Cook County, proving that compassion and safety can go hand in hand.

From Chicago to broader assignments across Federal agencies, Sergeant Mata has served with honor, courage, and an unwavering commitment to justice.

However, what sets him apart is that he never lost sight of where he came from. He has always made it a point to give back, supporting families and standing up for his neighbors. He is a father, a supportive husband, a mentor, and the kind of person you always want on your team.

Madam Speaker, we thank Sergeant Mata for his service and wish him Godspeed.