Immigrant advocates condemn Trump’s fake national security threat; NYS taxpayers continue real suffering from Trump’s shutdown
NEW YORK, NY - Tonight, President Donald Trump delivered a speech addressing his self-inflicted government shutdown, triggered by his absolute demand that Congress fund a $5 billion wall on the United States Southern border.
President Trump has now shut down the government for eighteen consecutive days. Every day this shutdown continues, 51,000 New York federal employees and contractors suffer from lost wages and furloughs.
Steven Choi, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition, issued the following statement:
“Trump’s tantrum over his ridiculous border wall clearly demonstrates that he is morally bankrupt and fiscally irresponsible. It is immoral to completely close off our border and the government to pursue a war against migrants. Trump continues to use immigrants as scapegoats, yet they contribute greatly to our social and economic fabric. The longer this shutdown continues, the more lasting harm Trump inflicts on our nation’s economic security and moral integrity.”
In his speech, the President made false claims regarding illegal immigration and border crossings including:
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Number of illegal border crossings
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Percentage of drugs trafficked over the border
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Painting migrant children as pawns of coyotes
President Trump then falsely claimed that border security and “The Wall” would:
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Repay itself
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Be paid for by trade deal with Mexico
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Be built because “we don’t hate the people on the outside, but love the people on the inside.”
5 Fast Facts: The Impact of Trump’s Shutdown on New York State
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Federal Transportation agency – which is currently shut down – sends the MTA $130 to $150 million every month. The MTA can only last about 4-6 weeks without these payments. This shutdown will grind New York City to a halt.
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NYS is keeping Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty open during the shutdown, costing New York tax payers $65,000 per day.
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All of New York’s federally run historical sites and museums are closed.
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170 TSA employees are "calling out sick" each day at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Those still working are not getting paid, including those who are vital to our safety and security such as air traffic controllers.
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The shutdown has exacerbated the backlog of immigration cases, adding to more than 105,000 cases in New York Immigration Courts that have been stalled.
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