Donald Trump wants to spend billions of dollars on a mass-deportation crackdown that would tear immigrant families and communities apart. The billions that he proposes to spend would be taxpayer money, partly contributed by immigrants themselves and partly contributed by the vast majority of Americans who don’t support Trump’s deportation agenda.
Congressional Democrats have begun to make the point that taxpayer dollars should not be used to destroy the lives of immigrant Americans. Today, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer met with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to discuss ways to protect immigrants from Trump’s draconian deportation plans.
As Sen. Schumer said in a statement afterward:
I was glad to meet with my colleagues from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus today to discuss what we need to do to protect immigrant families. I reiterated to them that Democrats in the Senate won’t support an appropriations bill that includes funding to build a wall or to further set in motion President Trump’s deportation force.
Echoed CHC Chairwoman Michelle Lujan Grisham:
We are pursuing every opportunity to protect immigrants and families from President Trump’s misguided immigration policies. Caucus members oppose the President’s efforts to pay for a mass deportation force and border wall, both of which have resulted in mass hysteria and real harm in our communities. We count on Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Schumer, as important allies in our fight for a fair and effective immigration system that reflects our values as a nation.
And Rep. Luis Gutierrez, Chair of the Immigration Task Force:
I have confidence Senate Democrats are fighting against policies and the budget-busting billions of dollars that Trump and Bannon want to use to destroy immigrant families through deportation and separation. Senator Schumer is backing the Latino and immigrant community and we in the CHC have his back as well.
Yesterday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) spoke to advocates from CCC/FIRM who demonstrated outside Customs and Border Protection headquarters in Washington, and both called on Trump to stop terrorizing immigrant families.
“We are here to tell this administration that this is our country too,” said Rep. Meng.
Sen. Sanders — who this week also joined the rest of the Vermont Congressional delegation in condemning ICE arrests in his state — added:
Our job as Americans, our job as members of Congress, is to pass comprehensive immigration reform and a path toward citizenship. President Trump thinks he’s a tough guy because he’s taking on farm workers who make nine or ten bucks an hour; he’s a tough guy because he can throw moms and dads out of this country. Well, I say to Mr. Trump, ‘If you’re such a tough guy, why don’t you take on the insurance companies and the drug companies and Wall Street?’
