SEN. PADILLA’S VIOLENT HANDCUFFING IS A ‘BRUTAL, SILENCING’ TACTIC OF AUTOCRATIC REGIMES
California Senator Alex Padilla’s violent handcuffing after attempting to ask DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is nothing short of chilling and a “brutal, silencing” tactic of autocratic regimes, “not the United States of America,” responds America’s Voice Executive Director Vanessa Cárdenas. “We unequivocally condemn this outrageous assault on a duly elected official who represents millions of Americans. Senator Padilla was doing his job—holding power to account. The fact that he was met with force instead of answers is a shameful reflection of an administration that fears scrutiny and thrives on intimidation. This cannot stand.” Read more here.
MILITARY DEPLOYMENT TO L.A. AN EXCUSE TO DELIBERATELY STOKE VIOLENCE AND CONSOLIDATE POWER
Make no mistake: the military invasion of L.A. by the Trump administration is a deliberate attempt to create chaos, have an excuse to scapegoat even more immigrants, and threaten the freedoms of all Americans. Remember that even the LAPD said that the immigration protests were peaceful. Following the deployment of troops to L.A., America’s Voice offered three key points to keep in mind, including the fact that Miller is using the unrest he’s causing to ram through the big, ugly budget bill that will turbocharge mass deportations. Read more here.
TRUMP AND MILLER’S PROVOCATION IS UNPOPULAR, UNNECESSARY, AND DANGEROUS
As the administration continues to escalate a volatile situation in L.A., top voices are denouncing the dangerous motivations behind Trump and Stephen Miller’s efforts. Their order “establishes neither law nor order,” said The New York Times Editorial Board. The deployment was “unnecessary” and “provocative,” said The Washington Post Editorial Board. Additionally, polling finds that Americans disapprove of the deployment. “The American people see Trump and Miller’s actions for what they really are: a dangerous overreach and escalation that undermine our values and threaten our communities, while not doing anything to advance real immigration solutions,” responded Cárdenas. Read more here.
IN CALIFORNIA, TRUMP TESTS HIS AUTOCRATIC NATIONAL PLANS
In her weekly column, America’s Voice consultant Maribel Hastings writes that Trump is using California as a testing ground of how far he can take his autocratic plans. “President Trump, who smells opportunities like a shark smells blood in the water, saw an opening to federalize the National Guard and send soldiers,” she writes. Combined with his upcoming military parade, “Trump takes another step toward the autocracy to which he aspires.” Her column was also published in outlets including La Opinión, Radio Billingüe, and La Tribuna Hispana. Read her column in English here and Spanish here.
DREAMERS CONTINUE TO BELIEVE IN AMERICA
This week marks the 13th anniversary of DACA, and under this popular and successful program, hundreds of thousands of young immigrants have transitioned from students and job seekers to professionals and heads of households. In fact, Dreamers have only become more deeply ingrained in the only country they’ve ever known as home, including building homes, getting married, and having children. They embody the American Dream. But what they deserve, especially after years of legal limbo, is legalization. As we celebrate DACA’s birthday, let’s reaffirm our commitment to winning permanent peace of mind for these Americans-in-waiting. Read more here.
AMERICANS WANT SOLUTIONS, NOT CHAOS
“The American people are recoiling from watching the Trump agenda in action – on immigration and in general,” says Vanessa Cárdenas. “We want common sense solutions, not chaos and destruction. What Trump and Miller are unleashing on our communities goes against everything we stand for as a democracy and a nation made stronger by immigrants.” Click here to share Vanessa’s statement.
YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS
DACA has been “a beacon of hope,” allowing young immigrants to “dream, live, and thrive without fear,” Dreamer Claudia says ahead of the policy’s 13th anniversary this week. But those dreams are at risk of turning into a nightmare due to the threats that face both the policy and its beneficiaries. What young immigrants need is stability. “As we approach the 13th anniversary of DACA, this moment is a reminder that immigrants are integral to this country,” said Aiden, another Dreamer. “This is our home, and we urge Congress to do what we know is possible and popular among the vast majority of Americans: deliver a pathway to citizenship now.” Read more here.
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