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Congressional Daily Record
This section is a tribute, commemoration, or district-facing statement. It mentions members such as Nanette Barragán.
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June 24, 2026
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Download official House Record PDFReturn to issue contextMs. Barragan of California was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.)
Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, it is Immigrant Heritage Month. This month, we celebrate what millions of Americans have been cheering: The remarkable success of the United States men's national soccer team at the World Cup.
has chosen a different message. Just days ago, the Department of Homeland Security posted social media messages featuring members of Team USA alongside slogans such as “Defend the Homeland” and “Built the Wall.”
Think about that irony. The administration pushed anti-immigrant messaging by using the very images of a team whose success shows the very value of immigration.
immigrants. Several players were born outside the United States or hold dual citizenship. Their stories span continents, cultures, and generations.
This is not a weakness of America. That is America. One of our team's star scorers, Folarin Balogun, is a perfect example. He was born in Brooklyn while his Nigerian parents were temporarily living in New York. Under the Constitution of the United States, he became an American citizen at birth. Today, he wears our Nation's jersey. He scores goals for our country.
birthright citizenship, the very principle that made Balogun an American in the first place.
Now, this issue extends far beyond soccer. The Trump administration has pursued policies that make it harder for people to come here legally, harder for families to reunite, harder for refugees to find safety, and harder for talented students and workers to build their futures in our country.
immigration enforcement actions that separate families, create fear, and leave children wondering whether a parent will come home at the end of the day.
We should ask ourselves simple questions: Who are we losing? Who never gets the chance?
cure for a devastating disease, like Katalin Kariko, who immigrated from Hungary to the United States for a postdoctoral fellowship. Her research made the COVID-19 vaccine possible.
family living in Jordan, who immigrated to the United States at 15. Professor Yaghi, of UC Berkeley, received a Nobel Prize in chemistry last year.
company, like Sergey Brin, a Soviet Union refugee at age 6. Sergey went on to cofound Google.
America's success. That has driven innovation in medicine, science, technology, and industry.
That is why Immigrant Heritage Month matters. It is a reminder that our diversity is not something to fear. It is one of our greatest competitive advantages. We should not be turning our backs on the very people who help make America more dynamic.
after generation, people from around the world have come here, contributed here, and become part of our national story.
That story is still being written.
embrace an immigration system worthy of the Nation we aspire to be, a nation wise enough to recognize that immigrants are not a threat to America's future. They are helping to build it.