(SACRAMENTO, CA, 2/15/19) – The Sacramento Valley office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SV) today joins with its national and affiliate chapters in condemning and rejecting President Donald Trump ’s declaration of emergency powers to construct a border wall.
CAIR maintains Trump’s declaration is an abuse of executive authority and immediately invites legal and congressional challenges as it may not be constitutionally permissible. CAIR asked constituents to sign an Action Alert asking Congress members to speak out against Trump’s action.
Trump signed a border security bill to avoid another governmental shutdown that provides $1.375 billion for border barriers, but nothing for the wall he has promised to build since he was a candidate.
In statements, executive directors of three of the offices that comprise the Council on American Islamic Relations, California chapter (CAIR-CA), decried the action and questioned the president’s legal authority to declare a national emergency for the purposes of unlocking or diverting military construction funds to build a border wall:
CAIR-SV Executive Director Basim Elkarra said:
“This is just another attempt by Donald Trump to force the construction of an unpopular, wasteful and useless border wall. After holding the nation hostage for weeks and constantly spreading falsehoods in an attempt to expand his xenophobic policy, this is an act of desperation to get his way. These cruel and bigoted immigration policies and actions separate families and do nothing to protect U.S. citizens.”
CAIR-San Diego (CAIR-SD) Executive Director Mustafa Dustin Craun said:
“As communities who live in the borderlands in the San Diego – Tijuana area we need love and understanding and not walls. As Muslims our prayers, our lives, our families, and our faith live beyond borders. At a time when we need humane immigration policies we instead are building walls to keep out those seeking peace and asylum. We must remember in our faith traditions the majority of Prophets were refugees and called us to serve refugees and those most in need.”
CAIR-Greater Los Angeles Area (CAIR-LA) Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said:
“It is not surprising that Trump would use any avenue possible to progress his agenda of bigotry and hatred, especially toward migrants and asylum seekers. The methods in which he has directed his minions to treat migrants and asylum seekers is not what America stands for. We stand in solidarity with those asking to be treated with dignity and respect from an administration that has shown none.
CAIR-San Francisco Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA) Executive Director Zahra Billoo said:
“From the moment he announced his candidacy for president, Donald Trump has spewed hatred and lies in an attempt to demonize minorities, immigrants and asylum seekers. His actions today show his continued disregard for facts about immigration and security at our southern border. We call for Mr. Trump to end the humanitarian crisis that he has created.”
The declaration was a reaction to Congress rejecting his requests for funding to construct a border wall, which initially led to a partial government shutdown that lasted 35 days.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprensión mutua.
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CONTACT: CAIR-SV Communications Manager Kalin Kipling-Mojaddedi, 916-441-6269 or kkipling@cair.com
