Tucson, AZ: In response to the anticipated passage and signing of compromise government funding legislation, and President Trump’s announcement he will declare a National Emergency to build a border wall, LCV issued the following statement from Senior Vice President for Community and Civic Engagement Jennifer Allen Aroz.

“There is no national security emergency at the southern border. The only emergency is the manufactured crisis Trump created for political reasons which is endangering families attempting to seek asylum or economic survival.  Let’s be clear: this border wall is not about national security or sound governance; this is about a xenophobic, racist and environmentally destructive wall.

“While we are glad Congress rejected some of Trump’s extreme anti-immigrant proposals along with drastic cuts to environmental agencies and new anti-environmental riders in the compromise spending bill, we are troubled both by the increases in immigration enforcement that can rip apart families, as well as funding for border barriers that can harm wildlife. The EPA, the National Park Service, and the Land and Water Conservation Fund have been badly under-resourced for years and deserve the increases—and more—that they receive in this package, but they should not come at the price of hateful and inhumane anti-immigration policy.”

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