>> BETWEEN SUPREME COURT DECISIONS, STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS, A BATTLE TO RAISE THE DEBT CEILING, AND THE ON GOAL ARRIVAL OF IMMIGRANTS TO ILLINOIS, A BUSY SUMMER AND JOINING US NOT TO TALK ABOUT ALL THAT AND MORE IS CONGRESSMAN CHUY GARCIA , A DEMOCRAT REPRESENTING THE FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

LET'S GET STARTED.

CHICAGO HAS OVER 10,000 MIGRANTS WHO ARRIVED.

THE CITY SAYS NOT ENOUGH FEDERAL HELP HAS BEEN GIVEN TO HELP MIGRANTS.

WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT?

>> I DO AGREE.

MAYOR JOHNSON IS IN THE RIGHT POSITION IN MAINTAINING THE HISTORY AND THE LEGACY OF BEING A WELCOMING CITY FOR IMMIGRANTS.

THE CITY HAS NOT RECEIVED ENOUGH MONEY FOR FOOD, SHELTER, AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES.

WE ARE WORKING IN WASHINGTON TO GET MORE AID TO CHICAGO FROM THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

ED CHICAGO IS NOT ALONE.

OTHER CITIES ARE IMPACTED, LIKE NEW YORK.

>> THEY ARE GETTING MORE MIGRANTS RIGHT NOW.

WHAT DO ILLINOIS REPRESENTATIVES LIKE YOURSELF DO TO SUPPORT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?

>> WE ARE URGING THE WHITE HOUSE TO ACT, URGING THEM TO GET FEMA TO RECOGNIZE THE EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES AND I AM LEAVING OVER 20 SIGNATORIES TO THE WHITE HOUSE TO EXTEND EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION, NOT JUST TO ARRIVALS BUT OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE IN CHICAGO FOR DECADES.

IF PEOPLE HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK AT A TIME WHEN THE ECONOMY IS BEGGING FOR ADDITIONAL WORKERS, IT ADVANCES OUR ECONOMIC INTERESTS, FOR THE MIGRANT AND THE GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING FEDERAL AID.

>> HOW LIKELY IS THIS TO HAPPEN AND HOW MUCH WOULD YOU BE ASKING THE GOVERNMENT?

>> A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.

THE CITY RECEIVED $10 MILLION IN THE LAST MONTH.

WE NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

AGAIN, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING ADDED SUPPORT, SIMPLY BY EXTENDING EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION TO THESE MIGRANTS, PEOPLE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR HANDOUTS, THEY JUST WANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES WHILE THEY WAIT FOR THEIR HEARINGS.

>> LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.

IF THEY ARE ABLE TO WORK, IT IS LESS OF A BURDEN.

THEY ARE HERE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO WORK.

WHAT CAN THE PRESIDENT DO IN THAT REGARD TO HELP IN THAT PROCESS?

>> WE ARE ASKING THE PRESIDENT TO EXTEND EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION TO THE MIGRANTS WHO ARE SEEKING ASYLUM TO OTHERS WHO WERE WAITING THEIR DAY IN COURT.

DO NOT FORGET ABOUT THE 11 MILLION PEOPLE, DREAMERS, DACA WORKERS, FARMWORKERS, WE TRIED TO PASS TWO BILLS IN CONGRESS WHICH WE PASSED IN THE HOUSE BUT ARE STUCK IN THE SENATE THAT WOULD PROVIDE A PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP.

THEY DESERVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK PEACEFULLY AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMY.

>> IN ILLINOIS, THE GOVERNOR ENDED THE HEALTH CARE ENROLLMENT FOR IMMIGRANTS.

HE POINTED OUT THAT, NEARLY TWICE THE AMOUNT WAS PROVIDED AND COST EXCEEDED THE BUDGET.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> WE WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE THE ILLINOIS POSITION OF LEADERSHIP IN THE REALM OF TAKING CARE OF IMMIGRANTS.

PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE, THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN A LEADER IN THIS REGARD.

REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR IMMIGRANTS.

THIS WILL ALLOW US TO PROTECT THE LEGACY AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE AN ABILITY TO HAVE THAT COVERAGE.

THERE IS DIALOGUE WITH THE GOVERNOR, WITH LEGISLATIVE LEADERS AS WELL, TRYING TO GET AT WHETHER OR NOT THE ANALYSIS THAT WAS DONE MAY HAVE BEEN OVERESTIMATED OR INFLATED.

WEATHER THERE WAS A LOWER COST ASSOCIATED THAT WOULD ENABLE US TO REACH A BETTER PLACE IN THIS.

BUT COMMUNITY GROUPS FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FIGHT TO WIN AND PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.

IF WE DON'T TAKE CARE OF THEM NOW, WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THEM LATER AND IT WILL BE MORE COSTLY.

>> THEY MADE A MAJOR DECISION REGARDING HIGHER EDUCATION.

ENDING AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, CANCELING STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS IS A BIG ONE.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THOSE DECISIONS AND HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE COMMUNITY?

>> THIS IS A HUGE SETBACK WHICH STOPS THE RIGHTS OF COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE SUFFERED DISCRIMINATION FOR DECADES, SO THEY CAN ACCESS HIGHER EDUCATION.

IT TAKES US BACK TO THE DAYS OF SEGREGATION AND EXCLUSION IN MY OPINION.

YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEMS, WHERE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION WAS STRUCK DOWN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA.

THE ADMISSION OF MINORITIES DROPPED 40%.

THIS IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN UNLESS WE DO SOMETHING.

THIS IS NOT GOOD.

ON THE TOPIC OF STUDENT DEBT AND AGAINST THOSE INDICATED.

IN ILLINOIS, WE RANK NUMBER SEVEN IN TERMS OF PEOPLE WHO GRADUATED AND STUDIED AND OWED $60 MILLION.

THAT IS WHY I VOTED AGAINST THE DEBT CEILING AGREEMENT THAT REPUBLICANS PASSED OUT OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BECAUSE IT STOPS THE ABILITY TO HAVE STUDENT DEBT ENDED AND RESUMES PAYMENTS FOR THOSE WHO ARE INDEBTED TO LUNGS.

>> YOUR DECISION OF OPPOSING THE DEBT CEILING.

CAN YOU TALK TO US MORE ABOUT THAT?

>> EXTREME REPUBLICANS WANTED TO TAKE US INTO DEFAULT.

THREATENING TO DO SO UNLESS WE MADE DRACONIAN CUTS TO THE BUDGET.

IT WOULD HAVE AFFECTED MANY DIFFERENT AREAS, LESS MONEY IN CHICAGO FOR ROADS AND BRIDGES, TO IMPROVE O'HARE AIRPORT.

AND YOU TALK ABOUT OTHER SOCIAL PROGRAMS LIKE ACCESS TO FOOD AND OTHER IMPORTANT SERVICES.

I WASN'T GOING TO VOTE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WE HAD INCREASED THE DEBT CEILING 29 TIMES WITH REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS.

WE HAD A RESPONSIBILITY.

ONCE YOU PASS A BUDGET, IT IS IMPLICIT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO COME UP WITH THE REVENUES TO DO THAT AND THERE WAS NO NEED -- >> WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING IN THAT REGARD BY THE END OF THE YEAR?

>> WE CONTINUE TO SEE REPUBLICANS, A SELECT GROUP OF THEM, ACT IRRESPONSIBLY AND VERY RADICALLY.

THEY ARE NOW SAYING THAT THEY