Content warning: This message references sexual assault and violence.

Yesterday I was in a House Oversight hearing on immigration where Mayor Wu made our city proud. She represented Boston as the welcoming, vibrant, and diverse city we call home, and the safest major city in America.

Meanwhile, Republicans pushed rhetoric that is both harmful and false.

I’m not one to sit by as Republicans spin a narrative that demonizes our immigrant neighbors. I’ve been in Congress for 6 years now and know how to navigate these hearings. I spoke up to correct the record by reading a headline from Quartz: “Data from Texas show that US-born Americans commit more rape and violent crimes than immigrants.” As a survivor of sexual assault myself, it was important to me to voice the facts.

Rather than respecting my procedural right to speak as a member of the Oversight Committee, Republicans attempted to silence me.

I got shouted down by the Chair, Jim Comer, simply because he didn’t want to hear this headline read out loud. Why? Because it doesn’t align with the lies and disinformation he and Republicans are peddling.

Donald Trump and Republicans are ignoring facts to dehumanize and criminalize immigrant families. But I will not be silenced and I will always press to correct the record with facts and data.

I’m proud to call Boston home. And I’m proud to stand up for everyone who calls Boston home. Our city is a vibrant, safe, and welcoming place. Don’t let Fox News tell you otherwise.

You can count on me to speak truth to power in Congress. But to stop Trump allies from using baseless lies to exact harm, it'll take all of us. Will you pitch in whatever you can to fuel this fight?

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Onward,

Ayanna