CHICAGO—Trump’s “cruel and violent” actions are not about safety, said Illinois Congressman Jesús “Chuy” Garcia at a rally here on Monday afternoon. “They’re about control,” Garcia said. “Fear is the tactic, and silence is the goal.”
“We’re not going back!” the crowd of over 100 chanted in response.
The heavy military response ordered by Trump to shut down protests is not even just about immigration, Garcia added. “It’s about domination—domination of all our communities.”
The press conference-turned-rally was hastily called by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights following the arrest of SEIU California President David Huerta by federal agents in California.
Garcia was joined by Chicago Federation of Labor Secretary Treasurer Don Villar and angry and determined rank-and-filers from the Teachers, UNITE HERE, IBEW, Steelworkers, and AFGE, along with religious and community groups.
“They want labor without families, they want to profit off our backs, but to silence our voices,” said Garcia, channeling the anger of the crowd. The Congressman noted that it has been ten years since Donald Trump first unleashed his racist campaign against immigrant workers.
“It’s a war on our dignity,” he said. “Trump seeks to marginalize each and every one of us who fight for our constitutional rights.”
The Trump economy is in trouble, Garcia charged. “His lies are cracking, the world is calling his bluff, and Congress has the power to kill his big ugly bill,” referring to Trump’s budget bill currently under consideration in the Senate.
Garcia expressed confidence that people are ready to fight in mass non-violent action. “It’s already taking place across the nation,” he noted.
“We are not scared!” he declared. “Know you have allies in Congress. We are going forward together as one united people.”
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