Whereas, on November 1 and 2 of each year, the United States celebrates All Souls’ Day, also known as Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, to honor friends, family members and loved ones who have passed;

Whereas Día de los Muertos includes traditions and rituals that trace their origins to diverse celebrations and beliefs held by pre-Hispanic cultures and Indigenous groups of Mesoamerica;

Whereas Día de los Muertos celebrations in pre-Hispanic times were led by the goddess Mictecacihuatl, known as Lady of the Dead, and the celebration lasted a month;

Whereas, after the Spanish arrived in Mexico and began converting the native peoples to Roman Catholicism, the holiday was moved to coincide with All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day;

Whereas the memory of loved ones is commemorated through a traditional altar containing ofrendas (offerings) and honoring their memory ensured they never cease to exist;

Whereas Día de los Muertos reinforces familial bonds and the importance of honoring one’s ancestry;

Whereas Día de los Muertos emerged and gained prominence during the 1960s, symbolizing cultural pride, heritage, and resistance;

Whereas the tradition of Día de los Muertos has grown in popularity across the United States, showcasing the vast influence of Mexican culture on American society;

Whereas the blending of traditions and shared celebrations exemplifies the unity and diversity that strengthen the United States as a Nation;

Whereas Día de los Muertos offers a moment to reflect on the value of life and the love that endures beyond death, honoring those who came before us and the memories that continue to guide our families and communities;

Whereas that same spirit of remembrance calls attention to lives lost in circumstances that demand compassion and accountability, and the United States must be mindful of the human cost of its immigration-detention practices: for example, in fiscal year 2025, at least 23 individuals died while in United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, a troubling increase over previous years;

Whereas, among those tragedies, the death of Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, a 38-year-old father of 2, who was fatally shot by an ICE agent during a traffic stop in Franklin Park, Illinois, on September 12, 2025, underscores the urgent need for transparency, accountability, and humane treatment in immigration enforcement;

Whereas these losses underscore the urgency of ensuring that all people are treated with dignity and humanity, consistent with the values that symbolize Día de los Muertos, the principles of family unity, human rights, and collective memory that call upon this body to honor the lives of those lost, reaffirm respect for life, and ensure humane treatment of all persons, including those in custodial settings; and

Whereas, through the celebration of Día de los Muertos, communities across the United States find healing in remembrance, strength in shared heritage, and unity in honoring the lives and memories of those who have passed with values that reflect the compassion, inclusion, and respect for human dignity that strengthen our Nation: Now, therefore, be it