Adelita S. Grijalva
Representative for Arizona · Democratic · United States
“In fact, I just met with Sonya, the wife of Yari, who was diagnosed with leukemia and is currently being held in Eloy. Her wife told her that the detainees are only being given ice chips for water, which they have to wait until they melt. Two housing units are also without air- conditioning. This is an outrage.”
House of Representatives16 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to sound the alarm about the deteriorating conditions at the Eloy Detention Center. My office has received multiple reports from family members of people in detention, and their lawyers, that detainees are being denied access to proper drinking water. Instead, they are being given one cup of ice chips per day.”
House of Representatives16 September 2026Source ↗
“As mentioned in her obituary, her ability to make learning fun and meaningful left a lasting impact. Being out and about in Tucson with Barbara inevitably meant being stopped by a former student who would share their stories of how she influenced their lives.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“It is unravelling the public infrastructure of our democracy, because diversity, equity, and inclusion are not buzz words. They are guarantees. They guarantee that a child with a learning disability in Tucson gets a fair and just education.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“The Department of Agriculture canceled a $300 million program to help minority and marginalized farmers buy land. For Arizona's small-scale, Tribal, and Latino farmers, this isn't about ending favoritism. It is about crushing the dream of land ownership. They are silencing families by cutting language access.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition of H.R. 1501, the Protecting Domestic Mining Act. At a time when we should be strengthening environmental protections, respecting Tribal sovereignty, and ensuring communities have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their land and water, this bill moves us in the wrong direction.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
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“In fact, I just met with Sonya, the wife of Yari, who was diagnosed with leukemia and is currently being held in Eloy. Her wife told her that the detainees are only being given ice chips for water, which they have to wait until they melt. Two housing units are also without air- conditioning. This is an outrage. At least 57 people have died in ICE custody this year, 4 of them in Arizona. This number is likely higher. How many more human beings need to die before we do something? This is a moral failure. I am calling on DHS to immediately address these conditions and ensure that all detainees have access to safe drinking water, edible food, and humane living conditions. ____________________”
House of Representatives16 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to sound the alarm about the deteriorating conditions at the Eloy Detention Center. My office has received multiple reports from family members of people in detention, and their lawyers, that detainees are being denied access to proper drinking water. Instead, they are being given one cup of ice chips per day.”
House of Representatives16 September 2026Source ↗
“It is unravelling the public infrastructure of our democracy, because diversity, equity, and inclusion are not buzz words. They are guarantees. They guarantee that a child with a learning disability in Tucson gets a fair and just education. They ensure that a small business owner in Yuma gets an honest shot at a Federal contract, and they uphold a basic promise: every American deserves an equal opportunity to succeed. We in southern Arizona know how to stand our ground. We will not sit in silence while 60 years of civil rights progress are erased by an executive decree. I urge my colleagues and the American people to see this campaign for what it is: a systemic dismantling of our civil rights. We must stand united. We must organize, and we must fight to defend equal opportunity for every community in this Nation. {time} 1810”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“After 60 years of progress, our Federal civil rights agency is moving to end demographic data collection. For six decades, that data has helped us identify where discrimination exists. We cannot address what we refuse to see. They are politicizing our military and threatening free media. They are replacing merit with ideological litmus tests in Pete Hegseth's military. They are weaponizing independent watchdogs, with the FCC ordering a review of ABC's broadcast licenses over its diversity and inclusion policies. Mr. Speaker, these attacks are not isolated. They are interconnected. When this administration rolls back protections for people with disabilities, strips LGBTQ+ protections, or targets women's medical research, it is not simply streamlining government.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“The Department of Agriculture canceled a $300 million program to help minority and marginalized farmers buy land. For Arizona's small-scale, Tribal, and Latino farmers, this isn't about ending favoritism. It is about crushing the dream of land ownership. They are silencing families by cutting language access. In Arizona's Seventh Congressional District, bilingualism and multilingualism are our strengths. When language access is rolled back, grandmothers struggle to understand their doctors, and parents struggle to access basic Federal services. They are compromising our local healthcare security. In border and rural communities where healthcare deserts are a reality, rolling back health equity initiatives means leaving mothers, children, and our most vulnerable neighbors behind. They are blinding our civil rights watchdogs.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Jackson and the Congressional Progressive Caucus for bringing attention to this important issue during this Special Order hour. We are all here to call out the quiet, calculated campaign sweeping across our Federal agencies. Under the banner of defeating wokeness, the Trump administration is dismantling the structures that protect civil rights, equal opportunity, and equal protection under the law. This is not a theoretical debate over acronyms. It is about the resources, protections, and dignity of everyday families. In southern Arizona--from Tucson to Nogales, Yuma, Avondale, Tolleson, Douglas, and our border and travel communities--the impact is deeply personal. Let us take a look at what is being dismantled. They are stripping economic lifelines from rural communities.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“And it is a direct consequence of this body's failure to act on gun violence. Cameron and Vincent should still be alive today. Mr. Speaker, how many more parents need to bury their children before Congress takes action to address the gun violence epidemic? How many more people need to die before this Chamber stands up to the gun lobby? Our communities are sick and tired of hearing our thoughts and prayers. We should be acting today to pass commonsense gun safety laws and to combat hate and violence targeting our LGBTQ folks. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join members of the Arizona delegation and the Congressional Equality Caucus in a moment of silence to honor their lives and commit this Chamber to action. ____________________”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“Today, we honor the lives of Cameron Davis Capara and Vincent Anthony Siqueiros, who were taken from us far too soon in an act of gun violence and hate at the Venture-N in Tucson, Arizona, a cherished place for queer people across the city. This type of targeted violence does not happen in a vacuum. It is cultivated by anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, laws, policies, and executive orders.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, my amendment does not slow progress. It strengthens it. By ensuring Tribal nations and impacted communities have a real seat at the table, we produce more informed and more mindful policy outcomes. Respecting Tribal sovereignty and listening to affected communities is not optional. It is a fundamental obligation. For those reasons, Mr. Speaker, I oppose H.R. 1501, and urge my colleagues to do the same.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“This gap leaves significant uncertainty about potential impacts to groundwater and undermines public confidence in the adequacy of the review process. I also think it is noteworthy that I kept hearing: American project, American project. This specific project is run by an Australian mining company. When I met with local leaders and community members in Patagonia, they raised serious concerns about their drinking water, their health, and the long-term sustainability of their aquifers. Those concerns are not abstract. They reflect lived experience and legitimate questions that deserve answers before, not after, decisions are made. What these experiences make clear is that the communities closest to these projects cannot be left to react once decisions are already in motion.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“While FAST-41 is intended to improve efficiency, mining is among the most environmentally consequential sectors it covers. Expedited timelines must not come at the expense of meaningful public participation or environmental assessment. We have already seen the consequences of insufficient engagement and analysis. The town of Patagonia formally requested a comprehensive groundwater study of the Patagonia mountains from the Coronado National Forest in both 2020 and 2021, specifically citing concerns related to the proposed Hermosa project. Despite these repeated requests, and the support of my dad, Congressman Raul M. Grijalva, the study was never completed. For that exact reason, I sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service in April to follow up on this same request.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“{time} 1400 My amendment would have ensured that Federal agencies uphold the United States' trust and treaty obligations by engaging in intentional and substantive consultation with Tribal Governments. It would have made clear that consultation is not a procedural checkbox but a meaningful government-to-government dialogue. It would have also ensured that no mining project could receive expedited permitting treatment unless the affected Tribal nations had been engaged from the earliest possible stages of the project's development. This issue has become increasingly relevant in my district with the Hermosa Project in the Patagonia Mountains, southeast of Tucson, Arizona. Its designation as the first critical minerals project under FAST-41 highlights the growing use of expedited permitting frameworks.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition of H.R. 1501, the Protecting Domestic Mining Act. At a time when we should be strengthening environmental protections, respecting Tribal sovereignty, and ensuring communities have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their land and water, this bill moves us in the wrong direction. I offered an amendment that would have required robust, meaningful, and enforceable consultation with potentially impacted Tribal nations before a mining project may be eligible for expedited permitting under FAST-41. Unfortunately, the Rules Committee refused to make my amendment in order, denying this body the opportunity to even debate or vote on a very basic principle: Tribal nations deserve a meaningful seat at the table when mining projects threaten their lands, resources, and communities.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“I will always remember her. ____________________”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“As mentioned in her obituary, her ability to make learning fun and meaningful left a lasting impact. Being out and about in Tucson with Barbara inevitably meant being stopped by a former student who would share their stories of how she influenced their lives. As a union organizer and fierce advocate for public education, Barbara dedicated herself to fighting for our students, our teachers, and our schools. She showed up, She spoke up, and she never stopped standing up for what she believed was right. Barbara was not only a champion for education, she was a friend and someone who made our community stronger through her service and her commitment. To Barbara, I thank her for always fighting for our students, teachers, and schools. To Barbara's family, I thank them for sharing her with us. Mr. Speaker, may my friend rest in peace.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Barbara Matteson of Tucson, Arizona. I can't think of a major education event, rally, or protest in Tucson where I didn't see Barbara front and center. A lifelong educator, the first in her family to go to college, Barbara spent over 38 years as a classroom teacher in the Tucson Unified School Direct.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“Congress deserves the information necessary to conduct meaningful oversight. When failures occur, there must be accountability. Mr. Damas came to this country seeking asylum. While in Federal custody, he deserved humane treatment and appropriate medical care. His family deserves answers. We need to continue demanding that DHS and ICE provide records and information necessary to fully understand what happened in Florence to Mr. Damas and what they are doing to make sure it never happens again. We demand accountability. We demand justice for the individuals who have died and answers for the families and communities mourning their loss. Every day that passes, more people will die, more people will forever be scarred from their time in detention, and more families will be ripped apart.”
House of Representatives1 September 2026Source ↗
“Damas was suffering from septic shock caused by pneumonia; but the medical examiner found his death stemmed from severe infection connected to a serious dental infection. When the Federal Government detains someone, it assumes responsibility for that person's health, safety, and well-being. Congress has a responsibility to make sure our government is meeting that obligation. Unfortunately, what happened to Mr. Damas is not isolated. There have been 56 people who have died in ICE detention since Trump took office last year. In Arizona and across the country, we continue to see reports of delayed medical treatment, inadequate care, deaths in custody, due process failures, and serious questions about conditions inside ICE and CBP facilities. Families deserve answers.”
House of Representatives1 September 2026Source ↗
“I thank Representative Torres and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus for hosting this Special Order hour. In Arizona, we have seen firsthand why congressional oversight of our immigration detention systems matter. We have also been witness to inhumane conditions and violent attacks by ICE when trying to detain people on our streets and rip people from their cars or their homes. Earlier this year, Emmanuel Damas, a Haitian asylum seeker, died after being held in ICE custody at the Florence detention facility in Arizona. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner found that Mr. Damas' death stemmed from a severe infection connected to a serious dental disease.”
House of Representatives1 September 2026Source ↗
“The last time we saw each other, we talked for hours, catching up on family, politics, and, of course, a little bit of gossip. Mr. Speaker, to his amazing sons and his entire family, I send all my love. May Joel rest in power. I thank him for his life of service, friendship, and community. I am really going to miss him. ____________________”
House of Representatives1 September 2026Source ↗
“He served on the TUSD Governing Board for two decades, including as board president, and he was a tireless advocate for public education. Joel's service went far beyond the school board. He was an attorney, an Episcopal priest, an advocate for historic and cultural preservation, and someone who believed deeply in standing up for people who needed a voice. He and his church even opened their doors to refugees from Central America during the 1980s. I am proud that Joel and I shared the distinction of being the longest serving TUSD board members, a record that we both agreed would be pretty hard to break. What I will remember most about Joel is the friend. He could always make me smile, gave great advice, and was always supportive.”
House of Representatives1 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a figurehead in Tucson and southern Arizona and a true Renaissance man, Joel Ireland. Joel lived a consequential life, and Tucson is better off because he lived it there. He dedicated much of his life to public service, especially to the students, families, and educators of Tucson Unified School District.”
House of Representatives1 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the victims of a shooting that occurred outside of the Venture-N bar in Tucson, Arizona, last night--Vincent Siqueiros and Cameron Capara--and to demand that this Chamber take immediate action to ensure that this can never happen again. I am disgusted by the targeted act of hate and the cold-blooded murder of two members of our LGBTQIA+ community.”
House of Representatives31 August 2026Source ↗
“Villegas is a proud World War II veteran whose courage and selfless service continue to inspire all of us. Like so many of his generation, he answered our Nation's call in a time of great need, helping defend the freedoms we cherish today. His service and his life remind us of the enduring values of sacrifice, resilience, and commitment to country and community. I extend ``mil gracias''; ``1,000 thanks'' to Beto for his service, his example, and the extraordinary legacy he has built over the past 100 years. On behalf of the people of Arizona's Seventh Congressional District, I extend my heartfelt thanks and wish him a very happy 100th birthday. ``Feliz cumpleanos. Que Dios lo bendiga''; ``Happy birthday. May God bless you.'' ____________________”
House of Representatives23 July 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a remarkable Arizonan and celebrate the 100th birthday of Mr. Conrado ``Beto'' Villegas. Reaching a century of life is an extraordinary milestone, and I was honored to join Mr. Villegas' family, friends, and neighbors in Nogales to celebrate this special occasion, highlighted by him taking over the dance floor with his wife at his birthday party. Mr.”
House of Representatives23 July 2026Source ↗
“May we honor Dr. Patti Lopez by carrying forward her example of service and her belief that every child deserves comfort, dignity, and hope. ``Muchisimas gracias''; ``many thanks'', Patti. ``Para todos, descansa en paz''; ``for all, rest in peace.'' ____________________”
House of Representatives22 July 2026Source ↗
“Lopez served Tucson's students as a teacher, principal, district leader, deputy superintendent, and chief academic officer for Tucson Unified School District. As a former TUSD governing board member, I primarily remember Dr. Lopez for her bright spirit, dedication, compassion, instincts, and smarts. After her distinguished career in education, she continued her mission as executive director of Angel Heart Pajama Project, helping provide more than 73,000 children experiencing crises with new pajamas, books, and the comfort of knowing that they were seen, valued, and loved. Dr. Lopez believed that even the simplest acts of kindness could change a child's life. Her compassion, integrity, and unwavering commitment inspired volunteers, strengthened communities, and brought hope to thousands of children when they needed it most.”
House of Representatives22 July 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Dr. Patricia ``Patti'' Lopez, a dedicated educator, mentor, and advocate whose life's work transformed the lives of countless children and families in southern Arizona. For more than three decades, Dr.”
House of Representatives22 July 2026Source ↗
“Speaker, on behalf of Arizona's Seventh Congressional District, I say ``congratulations,'' ``muchisimas felicidades'' to Academia de Baile on their 25th anniversary and wish them many more years of success. ____________________”
House of Representatives15 July 2026Source ↗
“For a quarter of a century, Academia de Baile has provided generations of students with exceptional dance instruction, fostered confidence, discipline, and a deep appreciation for the rich cultural traditions that make southern Arizona so vibrant. I want to congratulate the dedicated directors and instructors whose passion and dedication have made this achievement possible, the students whose hard work, talent, and artistry continue to impress us, and the families whose unwavering support have helped make this academy flourish for so many years. Academia de Baile is proof of how the arts bring people together, preserve our heritage, and strengthen our communities. Their legacy is reflected not only in the performances on stage but in the lives that they have touched across Tucson and southern Arizona. Mr.”
House of Representatives15 July 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great pride to recognize a remarkable milestone for Tucson's Academia de Baile Tradicion y Cultura as it celebrates 25 years of inspiring young people--including my own children, nieces, and nephews--from across Tucson and southern Arizona through dance, culture, and community.”
House of Representatives15 July 2026Source ↗