Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and Congressman Adriano Espaillat, along with elected officials and immigration advocates from across the city, co-hosted a press conference to speak out against and resist President Donald Trump’s newly announced executive orders on immigration, including his proposal to build a wall along the Mexican border and his threat to revoke funding for “sanctuary cities” like New York.
Borough President Diaz and Rep. Espaillat were joined at the event by Congressman Jose Serrano, Assembly Members Marcos Crespo and Luis Sepulveda, and City Council Member Rafael Salamanca.
"As leaders of the state, the city and this county, we are united because no other borough, no other county in the state of New York will suffer more from these cuts than the borough of The Bronx," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. "There are a lot of people out there who sympathize with what President Donald Trump is doing. To those individuals, I say your support is misguided, because those cuts will also have a negative impact on your lives as well. Cuts to education, cuts to transportation, cuts to health care, all of these things, this will hurt all of us."
"They are fast-tracking hateful and fearful propaganda,” said Congressman Adriano Espaillat. "We will fight tooth and nail, because this policy is un-American. And, if necessary, we will go to the courts if we have to, we will go to the streets if we have to. This is a democracy, this is not a vigilante society that you see in Hollywood films."
"Instead of building housing, instead of providing funds to improve the city, we will end up building a wall that we do not need," said Congressman Jose Serrano. “The greatest country on Earth, the greatest democracy on earth should never be seen as one that builds up a wall."
“This president is pandering and he is not addressing the issue,” said New York State Assembly Member Marcos Crespo. “These orders, they are not about protecting Americans from those who are criminals. This is about legalizing profiling, this is about going after a community that has helped rebuild our economy. Look at who is creating jobs, look at who is creating businesses. It is hard-working immigrants who have done that."
"I dare President Trump to withhold funds from sanctuary cities,” said New York State Assembly Member Luis R. Sepúlveda. “I want his supporters to see the devastating impact this will have on the most vulnerable people in this country. What he is doing is inhumane, and I will fight until my dying breath and do everything that I can do to prevent this Muslim registry, this wall, and the mass deportation of people in this country."
