In a stirring address to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice-President Kamala Harris delivered a passionate speech, emphasizing the dual goals of creating a pathway to citizenship while ensuring border security.

“We can do both—create an earned pathway to citizenship and ensure our border is secure,” Harris asserted, reiterating her commitment to comprehensive immigration reform.

She did not shy away from criticizing past actions, cautioning, “We all remember what they did to tear families apart. Now they’ve pledged the largest mass deportation in American history.”

Harris painted a vivid and alarming picture, adding, “Imagine what that would look like… massive raids, massive detention camps. What are they talking about?”

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The vice-pesident took a moment to acknowledge Chair Baron and other leaders of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) for their dedication, noting, “I wanna thank you for all that you do and all that you have done. CHCI, Chair, ESPAT, thank you for all that. You are. I, he, you know, I, he spent, he, both of them have spent time with me at my house and we’ve, we’ve shared a lot of good stories together and, and many meals together.”

Harris reflected on her personal background, sharing how her mother, who emigrated alone to the United States at 19, instilled in her the values of hard work and community responsibility, “My mother never lost her cool. She never defined her sense of dignity based on how others treated her. She was a proud woman. She was a hardworking woman.”

Her journey, Harris shared, was shaped by personal experiences, including her decision to become a prosecutor after a high school friend faced abuse. This decision stemmed from a desire to protect the vulnerable, “I wanted to start a career and do the work of, in part, just doing the work of making sure that we protect the most vulnerable.”

Throughout her career, Harris has championed the rights of workers, veterans, and students, and as Attorney General of California, she secured $20 billion for homeowners affected by predatory lending. “The work we have done together has been about defending workers’ rights, expanding healthcare, and forgiving student loan debt,” she emphasized.

She articulated a vision for the future focused on economic opportunity and justice, advocating for affordable healthcare, childcare, and housing. She highlighted her administration’s efforts to cap insulin costs and ensure affordable housing, noting, “People just want to get their foot in the door.”

The VP warned against regressive policies, citing efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to dismantle Medicare and the Affordable Care Act, which could jeopardize healthcare for millions of Latinos.

“We are not going back. We are not going back,” she declared, emphasizing the need to fight for freedom, including reproductive rights.

She criticized the overturning of Roe v. Wade, noting the impact on women’s access to healthcare, particularly for Latina women living in states with restrictive abortion laws.

“It’s immoral,” she stated, pledging to sign legislation restoring reproductive freedoms.

Harris concluded with a call to action, urging the Hispanic community to mobilize and vote, stating, “Each of us has a job to do as we celebrate this month. We know what we stand for, so we know what to fight for and when we fight, we win.”