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Statement

National Guard Deployment to Southern Border Is ‘Rash, Misguided and Dangerous for Our Democracy’

April 5, 2018
Immigration

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Statement from Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO of MomsRising, a national online and on-the-ground organization of more than 1 million mothers and their families
“President Trump’s plan to send the National Guard to the southern border is rash, misguided and dangerous for our democracy. This move will do nothing to protect our country; instead, it will inflame tensions along the border and further demonize immigrant communities, which are already suffering terribly under the Trump presidency.  Further, blocking asylum seekers from accessing the asylum process at our borders, as this plan appears likely to do, is a violation of United States and international law.
 
“It is appalling – but sadly unsurprising – that Trump sees the humanitarian crisis at the Mexican border as a threat that requires military action, rather than a situation that should be handled with care and compassion. As with Trump’s repeated lies about immigrants and refugees, and his obsession with building a wasteful border wall, this move will do nothing but further endanger vulnerable communities at the border and increase the xenophobic rhetoric plaguing our national dialogue. A large portion of border crossers are unaccompanied minors or parents with young children – they should be met with aid and assistance, not the National Guard.
 
“The country’s moms will urge Congress to rein in the president and stop this ill-advised, callous plan from being implemented.”
 

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.