‘Justice cannot wait another day’: Grijalva vows to make every voice heard after being sworn in

The most extended delay in the U.S. for the swearing-in of an elected representative came to an end on Wednesday — amid the nation’s longest government shutdown — with the 119th Congress’s return to session and the historic swearing-in of Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), the first Latina and Chicana representative from Arizona.

Following the death of her father, Rep. Raul Grijalva — a long-serving Arizona representative with a 50-year history of public service protecting the environment and the working class — earlier this year, Rep. Adelita Grijalva won her special election on Sept. 23 with over 70% of the vote in favor of her representing Arizona’s Seventh Congressional District in the House of Representatives.

One election victory and 50 days later, Grijalva was finally sworn in to heavy applause among her now Democratic colleagues today at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., and delivered a powerful speech in which she called out the GOP and the members responsible for the delay. 

She credited that delay to Speaker Mike Johnson. She said that he kept putting off her ceremony in an effort to bar her from becoming the final vote needed on a petition asking the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release the heavily debated and controversial files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which would not implicate many high-powered individuals, including President Donald Trump. 

Johnson, however, countered this claim, saying she would be sworn in once the government was reopened, effectively holding her seat hostage until Democrats sided with Republicans in backing their preferred funding bill. Congress was set to cast a vote on the approved bill that would end the shutdown on Wednesday night.

The delay prompted several legislators, including the two Democratic senators from Arizona, Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly, to confront Johnson and demand that the representative be sworn in. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes also filed a lawsuit in late October, demanding the speaker follow protocol and allow Grijalva to begin doing her job.

“It has been 50 days since the people of Arizona’s Seventh Congressional District elected me to represent them; 50 days that over 800,000 Arizonans have been left without access to the basic services that every constituent deserves,” Grijalva said following the ceremony that cemented her place in Congress. “This is an abuse of power. One individual should not be able to unilaterally obstruct the swearing in of a duly-elected member of Congress for political reasons… Our democracy only works when everyone has a voice.” 

Against the backdrop of a government has that left SNAP funding in limbo, caused thousands of federal employees to be laid off and cut off payroll for millions of others — while continuing to fund aggressive immigration enforcement operations and a multi-million dollar renovation to the White House — the push for Republicans to make a deal with Democrats to help supplement the growing cost of living and healthcare went stagnant when seven Democratic and one Independent senators heaved to the pressure and voted in favor of a GOP-backed bill.

Grijalva criticized the extreme tactics of the opposing party and those within her own party during the turbulent first months of the Trump administration. 

“And while we celebrate this moment today, our American promise is under serious threat. Basic freedoms are under attack. Healthcare premiums are skyrocketing. Babies are being ripped away from their parents by masked agents. We can and must do better,” Grijalva stated. “What is most concerning is not what this administration has done, but what the majority in this body has failed to do: hold Trump accountable as a co-equal branch of government that we are.” 

While Grijalva took her first step as a sworn-in official, her colleagues have already started to release emails that show proof of Trump’s involvement with Epstein. She made note of this and maintained a steady voice as she listed the additional issues she was also voted into office to address, resolve and defend.

“It’s past time for Congress to restore its role as a check-and-balance on this Administration, and fight for we, the American people,” Rep. Grijalva said. “We need to fight for our immigrant communities and veterans. We need to stand up for our public schools, children and educators. We need to respect tribal sovereignty and our environment. We need to stand up for LGBTQ+ rights because that’s what the American people expect us to do. Fight for them.” 

At the end of her remarks, she stated that she would sign the Discharge Petition as one of her first acts in office. After the 50-day stalemate with Republican legislators, Grijalva ensured that her voice was heard for the first time as a U.S. Congresswoman and made no attempts to censor herself on the same policies and beliefs that won her election. 

“Justice cannot wait another day. Adelante, mi gente. Muchas gracias. Thank you very much. I yield back,” Grijalva said before Speaker Johnson took to the podium and confirmed that, with her oath of office, there were now 433 members in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Analisa Valdez (she/her) is a freelance journalist based in Phoenix. Her reporting includes community & culture, social justice, arts, business, and politics.