| Dear Katy, Trump is waging a cruel and vicious war against migrant refugees at our border This past week, as Trump declared a national emergency to build his wall of hate, the Pentagon was already following his orders to deploy nearly 3,750 active-duty troops to provide military support to Customs and Border Patrol at the southern border.1 Not only has Trump increased the number of troops deployed at our border to nearly 6,000, but he is also extending their mission to include surveillance and detection – a clear violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits active-duty troops from engaging in law enforcement activities within the country.2,3 The use of military power at our border is nothing more than a political stunt to stoke xenophobic fears and terrorize asylum seekers. We need Congress to take a strong stance against this military offensive and launch an investigation into the illegal deployment and use of military power at the southern border. Tell Congress: Investigate Trump's illegal deployment of troops and use of military power to the U.S.-Mexico border. Click here to sign the petition. In November, Trump deployed thousands of troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in an obvious political stunt to rally his base to stop Democrats from flipping the House of Representatives.4 This stunt cost American taxpayers $200 million – and set the conditions for the human rights abuses committed against migrant refugees.5 Trump's plan to have the military treat migrants like enemy combatants in a war zone is no idle threat. He cares so little for the humanity of migrant refugees that he has put virtually no limits on the scope of power that troops at our border can use – including the use of lethal force.6 Now, Trump is extending their mission until September 2019 and responsibilities to include mobile surveillance and detection to help CBP contain this so-called "crisis" at our border.7 This is illegal and grossly violates federal law, which prohibits the military from acting like law enforcement within our borders. We've watched mothers with children and toddlers in diapers get tear gassed, children die at the hands of CBP and hundreds of migrant refugees get turned away at our border only to face persecution in their home countries. We need Congress to immediately launch an investigation into the role of the military at our border – and end this war on migrant refugees. Tell Congress: Investigate Trump's illegal deployment of troops and end his military border offensive. Click the link below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/investigate-pentagon-border?t=9&akid=31700%2E12967895%2E5ICrgx Thanks for fighting back, Thaís Marques, Campaign Manager
CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: References: - Marisa Schultz, "More troops heading to border as Trump weighs national emergency," New York Post, Feb. 3, 2019.
- Ryan Browne and Barbara Starr, "Over 3,000 more US troops headed to southern border," CNN, Jan. 31, 2019.
- Mihir Zaveri, "Pentagon Extends Troop Deployment at Mexican Border Through September," The New York Times, Jan. 14, 2019.
- Bess Levin, "Administration admits border deployment was a $200 million election stunt," Vanity Fair, Nov. 19, 2018.
- Paul Sonne, "Trump's border deployments could cost $200 million by year-end," The Washington Post, Nov. 3, 2018.
- Bart Jansen, John Fritze and Alan Gomez, "White House approves military to use lethal force at southern border," USA Today, Nov. 21, 2018.
- Emily Birnbaum, "Pentagon extending mission of troops at southern border," The Hill, Jan. 14, 2019.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr |
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