NILC Denounces Trump Plan to Further Militarize Border Communities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 4, 2018

CONTACT
Juan Gastelum, [email protected], 213-375-3149

NILC Denounces Trump Plan to Further Militarize Border Communities

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration today announced a plan to send military personnel to the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump is expected to sign a proclamation directing the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to work with the governors of affected states to deploy the National Guard.

The announcement comes days after President Trump reacted viscerally to news reports about a campaign to draw attention to human rights abuses that people fleeing violence and poverty face while migrating in search of refuge.

Kamal Essaheb, policy and advocacy director at the National Immigration Law Center, issued the following statement:

“Trump’s plan to send troops to border communities is yet another attempt to demonize immigrants and is utterly out of touch with reality. It is intended only to distract from real issues facing our country and to appease Trump, who is increasingly angry that his border wall vanity project has stalled. Just months ago, this administration was boasting about historically low unauthorized border crossings. Every American should be outraged by this wasteful, damaging, and opportunistic use of taxpayer dollars.”

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