Minnesotans tell Senator Klobuchar: ‘No money for border wall’

Minneapolis, MN – President Trump refused to honor the budget agreement made by Democrats and Republicans, demanding funding of his border wall as a part of the Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government. Senator Amy Klobuchar, a potential candidate for president in 2020, had suggested that she is willing to negotiate a deal with Trump to provide funds for a border wall. Fifty people rallied against any deal for funding a border wall at Senator Klobuchar’s office on December 20. The protest was co-initiated by Minnesota Caravan Solidarity and the Anti-War Committee.

Autumn Lake, a member of the Anti-War Committee, opened the rally program, “We are also here to take a stand against Senator Amy Klobuchar’s willingness to capitulate to the Trump administration’s demand for funding for the proposed wall at the Mexican border. As the Trump administration continues its attacks on the most vulnerable groups among us, it is as important as ever for Minnesotans to stand up for our migrant brothers and sisters. Senator Klobuchar, however, projects herself as someone who is open to ‘compromise,’ and as someone seeking ‘sensible immigration reforms’ – reforms that inevitably lead to increased border militarization and the continued criminalization of migrants. Make no mistake, ‘sensible immigration reforms’ means funding for detention facilities where children are detained and have died, funding for the ICE agents that terrorize and racially profile innocent Latino populations already within U.S. borders, and funding for the militarized aggression against innocent asylum seekers.”

Lake continued, “This militarism is not limited to U.S. foreign policy, however. The deployment of military units to the U.S.-Mexico border continues to pose a genuine threat to the refugees currently attempting to gain asylum. Despite claims of a drawdown of forces, as many as 4000 active duty troops will remain deployed at the border, their deployment having been extended to January 31. Roughly 2300 National Guard troops are scheduled to remain at the border until September 2019. Per an order signed by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, these troops are authorized to use lethal force during these deployments.”

The other speakers included Victor Ramirez Juarez, an activist with the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee, and Dave Logsdon, who spoke representing Minnesota Caravan Solidarity and is the president of Veterans for Peace Chapter 27.

On December 22, the U.S. federal government began its partial government shutdown. Immigrant rights and anti-war activists see the lack of Trump’s border wall funding in the final package as a victory.