Congressional Hispanic Caucus Applauds Passage of Congresswoman Escobar’s Homeland Security Improvement Act

WASHINGTON — Today, the US House of Representatives passed H.R. 2203, the Homeland Security Improvement Act, authored by Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16). Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement to mark the passage of this critical piece of legislation:

"I would like to thank Congresswoman Veronica Escobar for her leadership and work to increase oversight and accountability of the Department of Homeland Security. For years, we've witnessed the Trump Administration drive this department to the brink, tearing families apart, traumatizing children, and allowing deaths of the most vulnerable in their custody. Just this summer, we've learned of at least two secret Facebook groups that agents have used to dismiss the suffering of migrants, mock the deaths of those in custody, and threaten sitting members of Congress.

"It is clear that DHS must be held accountable for its actions. They must be held to the same standards of transparency and oversight as other law enforcement entities, including being required to wear body cameras at any time interacting with vulnerable migrants. The way that this Administration has used DHS to enforce suffering on migrant families is an affront to our American values. This legislation will increase oversight and help ensure the well-being of migrant families, agents, officers and border communities. I hope that our colleagues in the Senate – Republicans and Democrats alike – put our common humanity before political party and pass this bill."

Background: H.R. 2203, the Homeland Security Improvement Act, would establish an independent Ombudsman for Border and Immigration Enforcement Concerns within the Department of Homeland Security. The bill is endorsed by multiple groups, including America's Voice, American Civil Liberties Union, Border Network for Human Rights, National Education Association, Service Employees International Union, and the Southern Border Communities Coalition.

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The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), founded in December 1976, is organized as a Congressional Member organization, governed under the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives. The CHC is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories.