MA BLACK AND LATINO CAUCUS STANDS IN SUPPORT OF “SQUAD” CONGRESSWOMEN

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus (MBLLC) unequivocally denounces President Donald Trump’s bigoted remarks directed at Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D –Massachusetts), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D - New York), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D- Minnesota), and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D – Michigan).

“President Trump’s tweets and actions are unpatriotic as they threaten the foundation of our democracy,” stated Caucus Chairman Representative Carlos González (D – Springfield). He continued, “Every American must stand to condemn his racist tweets and rhetoric. We must unite and denounce the dangerous path Donald Trump wants to take this country. His racist and xenophobic policies threaten America’s strength and standing around the world.”

The remarks calling on the Congresswomen to “go back to your own country” are not only wildly racist and inaccurate, but they are also incredibly dangerous. The comments build on the President’s history of dividing our Nation by relentlessly targeting particular populations and recklessly attempting to delegitimize their full and rightful status as U.S. citizens.

The President’s refusal to apologize for his comments, and his continued defense of such language, emboldens white supremacists and racists across the U.S. in defiance of American values. It creates a palpable fear and erodes already fragile public trust in government within the communities we proudly serve.

As we have done in the past regarding Family Separation, we oppose the Administration’s immigration policies. They have forced immigrants into inhumane conditions, threatened their safety, and undermined those seeking asylum in our Nation. Our Caucus stands in support of Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and her colleagues as they continue to push for sorely needed immigration reform.

The Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus is a group of state legislators seeking to define, highlight and analyze those issues and concerns affecting people of color in the Commonwealth. For more information, please visit: www.mablacklatinocaucus.com

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