SOUTHERN BORDER — This week the Trump administration plans to divert $3.6 billion from military construction projects to fund the building of more dangerous, deadly and unsafe border wall.

This latest cash grab is done under the fake “national emergency” Trump announced in early February, as a means of securing funding for his vanity wall in the southern border region. Funding will be taken from almost 130 military projects, including the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which is representing the Southern Border Communities Coalition and the Sierra Club in their challenge to the president’s abuse of emergency powers, will seek a court order blocking the use of those funds.

Vicki B. Gaubeca, director of the Southern Border Communities Coalition, issued the following statement:

“Trump’s continued attempts to sidestep Congress are a danger to the checks and balances of our democracy, and will only jeopardize the diverse, welcoming and hopeful binational character of our region. These cash grabs that divert military funds to deadly and dangerous wall make our country less safe and threaten the quality of life of the 15 million people who call the southern border home. Enough is enough. We will stand against Trump’s overreach and obsession with enforcement-only border policies, and call for a new border vision that expands public safety, protects human rights, and welcomes all people to our region.”

ABOUT THE SOUTHERN BORDER COMMUNITIES COALITION

The Southern Border Communities Coalition (SBCC) brings together organizations from San Diego, California to Brownsville, Texas, to ensure that border enforcement policies and practices are accountable and fair, respect human dignity and human rights, and prevent the loss of life in the region.

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