Prominent Civil Rights, Environmental Justice and Advocacy Organizations Unite to Urge House Speaker Mike Johnson to Seat Elected Congress Member Adelita Grijalva

Organizations warn that continuing to delay Grijalva’s swearing in silences Arizonans and undermines the principles of representative democracy

WASHINGTON — Today, a coalition led by Latino organizations delivered a letter to House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson calling on him to swear in elected Democrat Adelita Grijalva. The letter calls his refusal to do so a deliberate obstruction that denies the 800,000 constituents in the majority-Latino 7th Congressional District of Arizona a voice in critical decisions about their lives. It also underscores that Speaker Johnson’s political delay undermines U.S. democracy and erodes trust in the integrity of the U.S. government.

“Every day that Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva is blocked by Speaker Johnson from taking her seat is another day that families face higher health care costs, polluted air and water, rising electricity prices, and a government that refuses to listen to them,” said Climate Power En Acción Executive Director Antonieta Cadiz. “Speaker Johnson’s actions are putting politics over people and sending a clear message to this majority-Latino district and beyond: if you’re not a billionaire, your health, your lives, and your future can be ignored.”

Speaker Johnson’s approach to congressional procedure exposes the partisan nature of his delay. Earlier this year, Speaker Johnson swore in Republican Representatives Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine, both of Florida, less than 24 hours after they won their special elections and despite the House being out of session. Earlier this week, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus also held a press conference and sent the Speaker a letter demanding he seat Grijalva. Representative-elect Grijalva won the special election to represent Arizona’s 7th Congressional District on September 23, 2025, and has yet to be sworn in. Her father, Raúl Grijalva, previously represented the district before passing earlier this year.

“Let’s call this what it is: a gross misuse of authority by Speaker Johnson, robbing 800,000 Arizonans of their electoral power, their representation in Congress, and their ability to receive crucial federal constituent services. This delay is harmful not just to Arizona’s 7th District, but to the state of Arizona and our basic democracy,” said Katharine Pichardo, President & CEO of Latino Victory. “Our coalition is using our collective power and voice to demand that Congresswoman-elect Grijalva be sworn in immediately and give South Arizonans their rightfully elected representative in the U.S. House,” she added. 

Speaker Johnson’s refusal to seat Rep.-elect Grijalva comes as the federal government remains shut down, already hampering discussions on issues affecting American families, including access to affordable healthcare, environmental justice, and the rising cost of living.

The letter’s signatories are:

Alianza for Progress

America’s Voice 

Americans for Tax Fairness

Aquí: The Accountability Movement

Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans (AARA)

Center for Earth, Energy & Democracy (CEED)

Chispa Arizona

Climate Hawks Vote

Climate Power

Climate Power En Acción

GALEO Impact Fund

Girl Plus Environment 

GreenLatinos

Hispanic Federation

Elders Climate Action, Arizona

El Verde Es Vida, IncludUs Fund

Latina Civic Action

Latino Victory Project 

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

Mi Familia Vota

National Education Association (NEA)

Poder Latinx 

Poder PAC 

Public Citizen

Rural Arizona Engagement (RAZE)

Sunrise Movement

UnidosUS Action Fund

UnidosUS

VetsForward (VetsFWD)

VoteVets

Voto Latino

Young, Gifted & Green

This list will be updated as more organizations sign on.