ICYMI: Congresswoman Simon on ICE’s Deadly and Illegal Actions at Minnesota Field Hearing, “Accountability can't end, and we know it should not, must not, end with this hearing or the next news cycle”
***WATCH VIDEO OF REMARKS HERE***
MINNEAPOLIS, MN — On Friday January 16, Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) joined Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), and other House Democrats for a field hearing entitled Kidnapped and Disappeared: Trump’s Deadly Assault on Minnesota to hear how President Trump’s unlawful actions have impacted residents, conduct oversight, lift up the truth from community members and organizers, and demand justice for the killing of Renee Good.
Following the hearing, Congresswoman Simon met with Minnesota state legislators and visited the memorial of Renee Good. Congresswoman Simon is a cosponsor of Articles of Impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the End Qualified Immunity for ICE Agents Act, the Stop Body Paywalls Act, the No Secret Police Act which would prohibit immigration officers from wearing face masks, the Neighbors Not Enemies Act which repeals the Alien Enemies Act, and more.
Below is a transcript of Congresswoman Simon’s remarks at the hearing:
“The reality is that this moment demands that we acknowledge, like as we said before, the long lineage of federal power exercised without guard rails. It's important on this weekend and every day moving forward, that we acknowledge the history that Trump alludes [to] when he says he's going to ‘make this country great again’ or return to a time when blatant displays of outright bigotry and racism and state sanctioned violence went unchecked. We are very clear that the residents of this here city are checking that unchecked violence.
“We are so proud as a nation and so inspired that you resemble so clearly, the young people, multiracial young people who stood up to a horrific government [that] stuck hoses on young people, hoses so strong that they those hoses could tear the skin off the protesters. Today, on the weekend of Martin Luther King's birthday, we are reminded that that struggle never ended – through your work here. Dr. King not only fought segregation, but [also] economic exploitation and militarism and the abuse of government power. Accountability can't end, and we know it should not, must not, end with this hearing or the next news cycle.
“Instead of going on much further, I want to continue just to give so much love to Ms. [Renee] Good’s family. My daughter lost her father at a very young age, and I know what it means for children to grow up without their parents. The horrors of what this state, meaning our executive branch, have called ‘justice.’ The horrors.
“One of the things that I think is extremely important for me to convey here as someone who is Muslim, and this is our holy day, is to acknowledge that the Trump administration has waged an all-out war on Muslims in this country.
“And Mr. [Jaylani] Hussein (CAIR-MN Executive Director and Civil Rights Advocate), you talked a lot about this amazing community, the Somali community, and given it's our holy day, it's also mentioned that mosques and other places of worship and faith are under attack. I wanted to give you the last minute that I have [of remarks] to give us more color on what's happening in the communities that you represent. Thank you. Thank you.”
To watch the full hearing in Minnesota, please click here.
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