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Trump Decides to Build Wall and Attack Immigrant Families

Published on January 25, 2017 by

PRESS RELEASE • Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Trump Decides to Build Wall and Attack Immigrant Families
All of America Will Feel the Brunt of his Anti-Immigrant Policies

Charlotte, NC— As expected, President Trump has signed the first two of several anti-immigrant Executive Orders to further isolate the U.S. and attack immigrant families.

Building a wall is self-destructive. It is not a solution to our broken immigration system. It sets a dangerous precedent, reinforcing the dark, isolationist picture of America that Trump painted in his inauguration speech. The Executive Order demanding an even more aggressive interior enforcement gives a “green light” to further percussion of families who are seeking refuge in the U.S. and of youth who have become the target of ICE in recent months. The result of this order will be disastrous for local economies, public schools, as well as affecting the fabric of American society.

The border is home to millions of families and billions of dollars in commerce. A wall will divide and endanger communities impacted by its construction, force migrants into dangerous situations, and cost American taxpayers at least $8 billion in construction costs and billions more in lost trade.

A wall would endanger America’s relationship with Mexico, one of our strongest global allies. Per Mexican Ambassador to the United States Carlos Sada, who spoke at the National Immigrant Integration Conference, co-hosted by NPNA and the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition in Nashville last month, Mexico is our second largest export market. The total value of bilateral trade crossing the US-Mexico border is $1.5 billion every day. According to the American Immigration Council, roughly 6 million US jobs are sustained by trade with Mexico, and more than 20 percent of all US jobs are tied in some way to trade along the border.

“If Trump moves forward his plan to build a wall between the US and Mexico, two socially and economically integrated countries, it will come at an unfathomable cost,” said Jose Hernandez Paris “These Executive Orders do not provide any real solutions to a broken immigration system, or increase safety in our local communities. If anything, it will create further isolation, division, and fear in our schools, churches, and neighborhoods. We oppose and will resist this destructive step.”

LAC’s Plan

The Latin American Coalition will work with allies and other immigrant rights organizations for public actions and a press conference
The LAC will hire an Advocacy and Community Engagement person to coordinate short and long term efforts to defend our community and advocate for comprehensive immigration reform
We have collectively developed a Know Your Rights and Deportation Defense curriculum, and will educate our communities accordingly
We expect executive orders to end substantial parts of the refugee program tomorrow. We will be demonstrating solidarity with the refugee community

You can support us by donating to our Protection Fund and supporting local immigrant and refugee rights organizations in their actions today and in the weeks to come.