mr. chairman , i yield myself such time as i may consume . 
mr. chairman , i rise , regrettably in opposition to this anti-immigrant legislation . 
mr. chairman , if we truly believe in all we have heard about the importance of freedom and liberty from our president and others , then we have no other choice but to vote down this bill which denies so much freedom and liberty to the immigrants in our own country . 
h.r. 418 includes provision after provision limiting the rights of refugees , imposing onerous new driver 's license requirements on the states , unfunded mandates , making it easier to deport legal immigrants , waiving all federal laws concerning construction of barriers and fences anywhere within the united states and denying immigrants long-standing habeas corpus rights . 
this is a work of art that has to be examined very , very carefully and very critically . 
if this measure becomes law , this will close america 's doors to cubans fleeing from their country , religious minorities attempting to escape religious persecution , women fleeing from sex trafficking , rape or forced abortions . 
unfortunately , in our history , there have been a number of examples of this overreaction in the past . 
for example , during the civil war , general ulysses grant , no less , sought to expel the jews from the south . 
the aftermath of world war i brought the notorious red scare , and the very long remembered anti-immigrant palmer raids from the attorney general of that era . 
of course , world war ii gave us the searing memory of the unconscionable internment of japanese americans . 
in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy , and even after the patriot act , which did its share of violating the rights of those who were in this country , this legislation would even further target immigrants for crimes they have not committed and for which they are not responsible . 
at some point we have to treat terrorism as a problem that requires intelligent response , as opposed to an excuse to scapegoat immigrants . 
for all these reasons , there are so many groups lined up behind the american civil liberties union to oppose the bill : immigration rights groups , civil rights groups , civil liberty organizations , private rights groups , labor organizations , environmental groups , native american rights , states ' rights and international human rights groups . 
so , i urge us in good conscience and serious concern over the direct and the subtle import of this legislation , please , we can not and should not close ourselves off to the most vulnerable members of our society . 
mr. chairman , i ask unanimous consent that the gentlewoman from texas ( ms. jackson-lee ) xz4001990 be permitted to manage the bill on this side of the floor . 
