Sylvia R. Garcia

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Whip Sylvia Garcia and Chairman Adriano Espaillat Condemn Republican Hearing Targeting Children's Right to Education

Position: The Congressional Hispanic Caucus opposes efforts to overturn or undermine Plyler v. Doe, the Supreme Court decision guaranteeing free public education to all children regardless of immigration status. The statement argues that denying education based on immigration status violates constitutional equal protection principles and harms children.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Whip Sylvia Garcia and Chairman Adriano Espaillat released the following statement in response to the Republican-led House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government's hearing opposing Plyler v. Doe, the Supreme Court decision that guarantees free public education to children in the U.S. no matter their immigration status: "The Congressional Hispanic Caucus strongly condemns the Republican-led House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government for holding a hearing to undermine Plyler v. Doe, the landmark Supreme Court decision that guarantees every child in this country access to a free public education. "Even entertaining the idea of overturning Plyler v. Doe sends a chilling message to children and families across this country. It tells children that they can be denied a public education because of their immigration status, even though they did nothing wrong, and be excluded from school and denied the chance to build a future. "Plyler v. Doe is rooted in one of the most fundamental principles of our Constitution. No state shall deny any person equal protection under the law. The Supreme Court made clear that children, regardless of immigration status, are persons under our Constitution and cannot be punished for circumstances beyond their control. "This is about children. Children brought here through no fault of their own, who grew up in our communities and know no other home. Denying them an education does not solve a problem. It creates one. It betrays our values as a nation that believes in opportunity, fairness, and basic human dignity. "The Congressional Hispanic Caucus stands firmly in defense of Plyler v. Doe, our Constitution, and the basic principle that every child deserves access to an education. We will fight any effort to strip children of that right."

Reps. Sylvia Garcia, Delia Ramirez Demand Answers from DHS After Conflicting Data on Arrests and Deportations of DACA Recipients

Position: Representatives Garcia and Ramirez oppose the Trump administration's enforcement actions against DACA recipients and call for congressional passage of the American Dream and Promise Act to provide permanent legal status and protections for DACA beneficiaries.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) and Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL-03) questioned the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons in a letter over the contradictory information provided to Congress regarding the arrest and deportation of beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. In September 2025, 95 Members of Congress wrote to DHS requesting a full accounting of how many active DACA recipients had been detained or deported by DHS since January 2025, including locations, dates, and outcomes of those cases. In response, DHS stated that 270 DACA recipients had been arrested and 174 DACA applicants were removed from the U.S. between January 1, 2025, and September 28, 2025. However, in a separate response to Senator Dick Durbin, DHS reported that ICE had arrested 261 DACA recipients and removed 86 from the country between January 1, 2025, and November 19, 2025 — a longer timeframe that nonetheless shows fewer arrests and fewer removals. According to the Members, the discrepancies between the two responses demonstrate gross incompetence or intentional misdirection. Reps. Garcia and Ramirez are demanding that DHS provide an accurate and complete accounting of how many active DACA recipients have been detained or deported since January 2025, no later than March 13, 2026. A full copy of the letter is available HERE. “Dreamers trusted the federal government when they came forward under DACA, passed background checks, and followed every rule DHS asked of them. Now, under the Trump administration, ICE is targeting the very young people who did everything right. That is appalling,” said Rep. Garcia. “On top of that, DHS cannot even give Congress a straight answer about how many DACA recipients have been arrested or deported. This raises serious questions about whether we are seeing gross incompetence or whether Congress is being intentionally misled. We need full transparency. DHS must provide a full and accurate accounting of its actions against DACA recipients immediately.” “Whether it is in Congressional hearings, in responses to Congressional inquiries, and even in face-to-face meetings, DHS and Secretary Noem continue to disregard the law and lie to Congress about it. We know that Noem and DHS have refused to abide by the protections that DACA provides to Dreamers. It is clear that DACA recipients are at great risk; we must have transparency,” said Rep. Ramirez. “While Secretary Noem’s days in office are numbered, she must abide by the law while she is secretary and provide us with the truth. Congress and our communities deserve to know how many of our neighbors have had their protected status violated, have endured inhumane detention, or have been disappeared.” The situation shows why Congress must pass the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act, legislation led by Rep. Garcia and co-led by Rep. Ramirez that would provide Dreamers with permanent deportation protections and a pathway to citizenship. As immigration enforcement under Trump increasingly targets DACA recipients, Congress cannot continue leaving hundreds of thousands of young people in legal limbo. For Ramirez and Garcia's September 2025 letter, CLICK HERE. For DHS’s response to the House, CLICK HERE. For DHS’s response to the Senate, CLICK HERE. Issues: Immigration

Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Statement on HISD Plan to Close 12 Schools

Position: Congresswoman Garcia opposes HISD's plan to close 12 schools without adequate public engagement and parental input. She calls for the district to pause the closure plan, open the decision-making process to public participation, and work collaboratively with families before proceeding.

HOUSTON, T.X. – Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) released the following statement in response to the Houston Independent School District's plan to close 12 schools for the 2026-2027 academic year: "HISD is making life-changing decisions about neighborhood schools without giving families a real say. "Parents, students, and teachers deserve a real voice in what happens to their schools, not last-minute notices and plans that are predetermined. "I said from the beginning that the state takeover of HISD stripped parents and voters of their democratic voice, and this moment proves exactly why that matters. "Some of the schools on this list are in the neighborhoods I represent, and families are telling me they were blindsided and pushed aside by a process that did not respect them. "Closing neighborhood schools without real public engagement disrupts families and weakens entire communities. HISD should pause this plan, open the process to the public, and work with families to find solutions that truly put students first."

Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Introduces Bill to End Potential Federal Coercion on Local Police and Restore Community Trust

Position: Congresswoman Garcia opposes federal coercion of local police into immigration enforcement and supports repealing 8 U.S.C. §1373, which she argues has been used to compel cities and police departments to share immigration-status information with ICE.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) introduced the Restoring Community Trust Act of 2026, legislation aimed at stopping the federal government from compelling state and local governments to act as extensions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), restoring constitutional balance, and protecting public safety. The bill repeals 8 U.S.C. §1373, a federal law that has been used to coerce cities and police departments into sharing immigration-status information, including through threats involving various federal law enforcement grants. By repealing this law, the bill restores local control and helps ensure immigration enforcement remains a federal responsibility, not a burden placed on local police. The legislation comes amid national outrage over the Trump administration’s aggressive federal immigration operations across the country, including recent incidents in Minneapolis in which two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good, were killed by federal immigration law enforcement officers. “What we’re seeing from ICE is not law enforcement. It’s an abuse of power, and people are losing their lives. Across this country and right here in Texas, communities are being terrorized. The Trump administration has weaponized immigration enforcement, turning routine police encounters into deportation traps and forcing local officers to act as federal agents. Families are afraid to call the police, and that makes every community less safe,” Congresswoman Garcia said. “My bill repeals the outdated federal law partly driving this abuse. It restores local control, protects public safety, and puts police back where they belong, serving their communities, not carrying out deportations.” In early 2025, the Trump administration expanded its use of a federal law enforcement database known as the National Crime Information Center, or NCIC. News reports described ICE adding more than 700,000 people connected to civil immigration enforcement into the system, which led to new guidance in many places directing local departments to contact federal immigration authorities when the database flagged an administrative immigration warrant. This has helped turn routine police encounters, like a traffic stop, into immigration enforcement triggers and spread fear in communities. At the same time, the Trump administration has repeatedly pushed state and local law enforcement to play a larger role in civil immigration enforcement. Recent public statements from the White House continue to urge local jurisdictions to increase cooperation with federal immigration operations. As a result, many families fear that routine interactions with local government, including law enforcement, could lead to immigration consequences. Victims may hesitate to report crimes. Witnesses may avoid cooperating with police. When people are afraid to seek help, everyone is less safe. The Restoring Community Trust Act of 2026 ends this federal coercion. The bill does not ban cooperation with ICE. State and local governments may still communicate or cooperate with federal immigration authorities consistent with state and local law. It simply repeals a federal statute that has been used to coerce local governments and creates legal confusion. In Texas, state law can still compel certain forms of cooperation with federal immigration authorities. This bill is a federal fix that removes the federal government’s ability to use §1373 as a lever against cities and counties, including through federal funding means, and helps restore clearer lines of responsibility and accountability. The Restoring Community Trust Act of 2026 is co-sponsored by Representatives Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13), Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), Dina Titus (D-NV-01), Troy Carter (D-LA-02), Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), and Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01). Read the full text HERE.

Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Secures Over $3 Million for Texas 29 Community Projects in Bipartisan Minibus Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) proudly announced $3,092,000 in Community Project Funding she secured for Texas's 29th Congressional District in the bipartisan minibus legislation that passed the House of Representatives earlier today. The bill directs critical investments back into Houston-area neighborhoods, helping families, veterans, and first responders. "This bill passed because we put people first," said Congresswoman Garcia. "These dollars are headed straight to Houston communities that need them most. It means safer streets, clean drinking water, and a stronger Harris County that's ready to serve the public even in emergencies. My district deserves real results, and today, we delivered them. But our work never stops. I'll keep fighting to make sure every family in Texas-29 feels safer, healthier, and supported. That's the promise I make to my constituents every single day." The projects include: • $1,000,000 for the Fulton Corridor Revitalization Project This funding will support the Houston Police Department (HPD) in its operations. The funds will go towards new communication tools, additional patrol teams, homeless outreach, and narcotics investigations to disrupt drug supply chains. HPD’s Differential Response Teams — made up of certified officers, code enforcement officers, and health inspectors — will focus on preventing crime at hotspots and nuisance properties. The goal is to revitalize the corridor and its community as a safe space for families, students, and local businesses. Congresswoman Garcia is proud to support this project in partnership with Houston City Councilmember Mario Castillo. • $1,092,000 for Safe Drinking Water in Jacinto City This funding replaces 80-year-old pipes with new lightweight, durable plastic pipes known for excellent chemical and corrosion resistance water mains, ensuring that lead and copper lines are removed. The upgrades increase fire flows, improve water safety for residents and clinics, and raise the city’s Insurance Service Office (ISO) Fire Rating, which will help lower insurance costs for working families and small businesses. • $1,000,000 for a Pollution Control facility in North Harris County This funding supports planning and design for a new backup water-testing lab outside Harris County’s evacuation and flood zone. The new lab will study the best location, test for harmful forever chemicals, including PFAS and PFOS, meet upcoming Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, and allow faster, cost-effective in-house water testing. The lab will also provide support for the Harris County Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) during hurricanes and other disasters, which will help officials reach community members faster, especially in unforeseen emergencies, to ensure a swift response and safety for all. This bipartisan funding bill passed the House of Representatives today and now moves to the Senate for its consideration.

Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Calls for Thorough Review of Proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern Merger

Position: Congresswoman Garcia calls on the Surface Transportation Board to conduct a thorough, transparent review of the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger, with particular attention to impacts on blocked rail crossings, neighborhood safety, traffic disruptions, passenger rail service, and competition-driven costs in her district.

HOUSTON, T.X. – Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) sent a letter to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) raising concerns about the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, urging the Board to conduct a robust, transparent review focused on community impacts, safety, and competition. In the letter, Garcia specifically calls on the STB to thoroughly evaluate how the merger could affect blocked rail crossings, neighborhood safety, traffic disruptions, consumer and passenger rail service, and costs driven by reduced competition, particularly in Harris County and Houston’s East End, one of the busiest rail corridors in the country. “Railroads are important to our economy, but families should not pay the price,” said Congresswoman Garcia. “The Surface Transportation Board must make sure this merger does not make blocked crossings worse, reduce safety, or raise costs because of less competition. My constituents deserve a process that is open, careful, and focused on the public interest.” Garcia represents Texas’s 29th Congressional District, where freight rail is central to the local economy but already creates daily disruptions for residents living near rail lines. Federal data compiled by the Federal Railroad Administration shows TX-29 has the highest number of reported blocked railroad crossings in the nation. The proposed merger would create the first coast-to-coast freight railroad in the United States. The merger proposal was officially filed on the morning of December 19th. However, because an official comment period has not been announced, Garcia submitted her letter in advance to ensure community concerns are on the record early in the process. Read the full letter HERE.