TRUMP-BUKELE MEETING: SENDING U.S. CITIZENS TO FOREIGN PRISON
Monday’s meeting between Donald Trump and El Salvador President Nayib Bukele should shock every American who cares about our system of checks and balances. Not only did Trump make clear he does not intend to abide by the Supreme Court ruling ordering his administration to “facilitate” the return of Maryland dad Kilmar Abrego García, he openly acknowledged plans to send U.S. citizens to El Salvador. What’s at stake should alarm all Americans, said America’s Voice Executive Director Vanessa Cárdenas. Read more here.
REP. RASKIN BLASTS TRUMP SUBVERSION OF RULE OF LAW
On Wednesday, Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and the Center for Constitutional Rights’ Baher Azmy joined AV Legal Advisor David Leopold and Vanessa Cárdenas for a virtual press event to discuss the deportation of Abrego García and the larger constitutional stakes. “Abrego Garcia had legal protection, yet he was stopped, shackled and shipped to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador in what the White House admitted in court is an ‘administrative error,’” Rep. Raskin said. Speakers also discussed the threats facing judicial authority, due process, and the rule of law. Read their remarks in full here.
THIS IS WHAT MASS DEPORTATION LOOKS LIKE: STUDENTS, CHILDREN, LEGAL RESIDENTS
There were new reminders this week of how the administration is going for broke in its push to turbocharge mass deportations, including IRS information-sharing to enable immigration enforcement, the misuse of a Social Security Administration database to crack down on immigrants, internal White House goals of a minimum 1 million deportations this year, and more egregious examples of immigration detentions, including of another Columbia University protester. “This is what mass deportation looks like,” responded Cárdenas. Read more here.
AT WHAT COST?
At what cost to the American people does the administration’s anti-immigrant agenda come? A recent piece from The Atlantic highlights that Congress’ budget process is set to dramatically scale up funding for immigration enforcement, turbocharging mass purgings and chaos that we have been witnessing in recent months. Meanwhile, the budget also seeks to potentially slash Medicaid and SNAP for working families to help fund this as well. “And none of that would actually fix our immigration system or keep Americans safe,” responded AV Campaigns Director Mario Carrillo. Read more here.
WORDS MATTER: VICIOUS LANGUAGE LEADS TO REAL VIOLENCE
In his new op-ed at El Paso Matters, Mario Carrillo, an El Paso resident, reflects on the deadly mass shooting that devastated his hometown in 2019 and the dangerous impact of dehumanizing immigration rhetoric. In a series of recent interviews, the defense attorney for the El Paso gunman reveals the shooter’s belief he was carrying out Trump’s agenda to combat the “invasion” of Texas. “Such dehumanizing and violent language extends well beyond immigration to all facets of American society,” Carrillo writes. “It encourages violence as the answer to all of our challenges.” Read the full op-ed here.
TRUMP AGAIN SHOOTS ECONOMY IN THE FOOT
In her weekly column, AV consultant Maribel Hastings writes that Trump is yet again shooting the economy in the foot through his IRS-ICE agreement sharing the confidential data of suspected undocumented workers. We’re already seeing the side effects. “These days, stories abound in the media of accountants saying that their undocumented clients are asking if it would be safe to file their taxes, in the face of fear that they will be detained and deported,” she writes. Her column was also published in outlets including La Opinión, Radio Bilingüe, and La Tribuna Hispana. Read her column in English here and Spanish here.
THIS TAX WEEK, REMEMBER THAT IMMIGRATION IS GOOD FOR AMERICA
Monday was Tax Day, meaning millions of workers across the country filed or finished up their state and federal returns – including undocumented immigrants. Their immense annual contributions to the tune of nearly $100 billion annually help sustain vital federal programs like Medicare and Social Security, fund our public schools, libraries, and fire departments, and boost our overall economy. Their vast contributions make our nation stronger, more vibrant, and more prosperous. Read more here.
BIG GOVERNMENT IS COMING FOR YOU
The Trump administration’s refusal to return wrongfully deported Maryland dad Kilmar Abrego García should “raise an alarm to every American,” Vanessa Cárdenas said during her recent C-SPAN appearance. She reminded that the Trump administration is also paying El Salvador to detain him, so the idea that they can’t bring him back just doesn’t square with reality. Click here to watch and share a portion of her interview.
LEADERS UNITE TO CONFRONT INJUSTICE
Following Monday’s Trump-Bukele meeting, Latino leaders including UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía, Hispanic Federation President and CEO Frankie Miranda, Latino Victory Project President and CEO Katharine Pichardo, Mi Familia Vota President and CEO Hector Sanchez Barba, and Vanessa Cárdenas released a joint statement urging the return of Maryland dad Kilmar Abrego García. As Barba said, this isn’t just about one man. “It’s about what it means for all of us when this administration ignores court orders, human rights, and exerts their power to target vulnerable communities.” Read the full quotes from all five leaders here.
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