Suozzi urges immigration reform at Dems’ convention

Vice President Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic presidential nomination at the party’s convention last week, setting up a general election in which she will face off against former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, in November.
Harris’s acceptance speech intertwined personal and political themes, highlighting the profound influence of her immigrant mother, a scientist who came to the U.S. with dreams of curing breast cancer. Harris described her mother as a resilient woman of color who faced challenges with strength and taught her daughter to fight injustice through action.
Addressing border security, Harris criticized Trump for allegedly blocking a bipartisan border bill focusing on illegal immigration that was promoted by the Biden administration, for no other reason than to benefit Trump’s campaign. She vowed to revive and pass the legislation to ensure security without political manipulation.
“Donald Trump believes a border deal would hurt his campaign,” Harris said of the bill. “So, he ordered his allies in Congress to kill the deal. I refuse to play politics with our security.”Among Harris’s supporters at the DNC was U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, of New York’s 3rd Congressional District, who called for bipartisan and humane solutions to America’s ongoing immigration challenges. Suozzi, who won his seat in a special election earlier this year, framed his remarks within the context of his own immigrant heritage, linking his family’s story to the broader American narrative of opportunity and perseverance.
Suozzi’s speech was a key moment in the convention, as Democrats sought to unify their message two and a half months before the presidential election. With immigration continuing to be a polarizing issue, Suozzi’s emphasis on bipartisan cooperation struck a deliberate contrast to the increasingly divisive rhetoric that has characterized the national debate.

“My father came from Italy as a boy, was the first kid in the neighborhood to go to college, served as a navigator during World War II, came home, and at 28 was elected as the youngest judge in the history of New York state. What a country!” he told the audience, eliciting applause. He invoked his grandfather’s wisdom, shared through a family toast that marriage, like life, involves both joy and hardship: “Non c’è rosa senza spine — You can’t have the roses without the thorns.”
Suozzi acknowledged that while border security is a serious concern, the U.S. must also honor its legacy as a nation of immigrants. “The immigrant experience. E pluribus unum. Out of many, one. My family’s experience! Kamala Harris’s experience! The American experience!” he said, linking his story of immigrant roots to Harris’s.
While Suozzi did not delve into policy specifics, his remarks were a ringing endorsement of Harris’s approach to immigration. He praised her for her commitment to both securing the border and ensuring humane treatment for those crossing it, portraying her as a leader who understands the balance between enforcement and compassion.
“Kamala Harris will work to secure the border while also honoring the United States’ history as a nation of immigrants,” Suozzi asserted.
He also critiqued the current state of political polarization, which he described as “painful.” He particularly criticized Republicans for exacerbating divisions and undermining efforts in the Senate to pass a bipartisan border security bill. Although Suozzi did not name former President Trump directly, he left little doubt about whom he held responsible for the failure of what he described as a promising legislative effort.
“The bottom line is that the people in the United States of America are concerned about the border,” Suozzi said at a news conference before his speech. “And what we’ve seen is that if we talk about the border and show that we’re willing to support the bipartisan Senate deal, the American people like that. The fact that that deal was undercut by President Trump is really damaging.”
Suozzi’s focus on immigration has been a defining feature of his recent political career and has been at the forefront of addressing the local impact of national immigration policies.
Since reclaiming his seat in February, Suozzi has argued that the Democratic Party must take a firm stance on border security to counter Republican attacks while also advocating for comprehensive immigration reform.
Suozzi has also emphasized building bridges between the two parties on immigration. He has positioned himself as a pragmatist, willing to collaborate with Republicans to find common ground on an issue that has long defied easy solutions.
“People are sick of the attacks and the extremism,” he said before his speech. “They’re sick of the gotcha. They want people to work together, solve problems, and make the world a better place.”