PHOENIX — Marisa Franco, Director of Mijente, the national digital and grassroots hub for Latinx and Chicanx organizing, released the following statement in response to President Trump’s address announcing that he will declare a national emergency to reallocate funds to building his border wall.
“The day we have long feared has now arrived: President Trump has declared a national emergency. This declaration isn’t for a true national emergency but to get money for a pointless border wall that serves no purpose but to pander to a racist supporter base, by usurping the power of Congress. While we have been on a path toward racist nationalism for a while, history will look back at this day as the day American democracy died.
Not only has a bigoted authoritarian declared himself above the other branches of government which are supposed to balance and check his powers, America has officially closed itself off and ended its position as the land of opportunity. Instead, we have returned to a more horrifying version of the xenophobic isolationist policies of a century ago, manufacturing a crisis that is designed to divide the country, criminalize the Latinx community and immigrants of color, expedite the deportation of children, and build more private detention centers to justify his actions.
And with the tidal wave of judicial appointments Trump has made and the Republican-controlled Senate has rubber stamped over the past two years, we can’t rely on the courts to save us. Instead, we must save ourselves and send a strong, angry and unequivocal message that we will save our democratic ideals whatever the cost.”
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Mijente is a political, digital, and grassroots hub for Latinx and Chicanx organizing and movement building. Launched in 2015, Mijente seeks to strengthen and increase the participation of Latina/o people in the broader movements for racial, economic, climate and gender justice. Twitter: @conmijente
