Community, Labor and Advocacy Groups Pen Open Letter to Congress to Build Schools, Not Walls

WASHINGTON—On Thursday, more than 150 local, state and national grass-roots organizations sent an open letter to congressional leaders urging them to reject President Trump’s proposals to build a multibillion-dollar border wall, conduct more mass deportations and cut public education funding. The letter comes in the midst of a budget showdown that has pitted moderate Republican lawmakers and Democrats against House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and others attempting to make funding for increased immigration enforcement part of any budget deal leaving the Hill.

 “Instead of funding President Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda, we are seeking additional funding for our nation’s public schools,” says Keron Blair, director of the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools, which spearheaded the letter. “Our kids deserve to go to neighborhood public schools that meet their social, emotional and health needs, making them well-rounded citizens in our global society. Now is the time for Congress to protect our students, fight for working families and end the threat of mass deportations.”

The letter— signed by labor and community organizations including the Center for Popular Democracy, United We Dream, the National Education Association, SEIU and the National Immigration Law Center, along with dozens of local grassroots groups—urges policymakers to denounce fear and division and embrace the following policy demands during budget negotiations:

• Reject the White House’s funding request for a 1,000-mile border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, both now and in the future.
• Reject the $6 billion funding measure to triple the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for more raids and deportations.
• Reject Trump’s proposal to slash federal education spending by $9 billion, which would eliminate federal funding for after-school programs, community schools, teacher training and other critical supports.
• Invest in public schools, particularly those serving low-income African-American and Latino students.
• Say no to unaccountable voucher programs and charter school expansion.

“Public schools are the cornerstone of our civic and economic infrastructure,” the letter reads. “Their work is already complicated enough. Yet schools in low-income communities and in predominantly African-American and immigrant neighborhoods have struggled for too long with a lack of resources. Instead of separating families and building walls, we must invest in our schools as part of our nation’s infrastructure. Stronger schools are schools where teachers have the tools they need to teach, students have access to a broad and rich curriculum, and families and students are welcomed, supported, engaged and safe.”

The letter was sent just days before the “Build Schools, Not Walls” day of action on Monday, May 1—a day that will see hundreds of thousands of students, parents, educators and community members, working collectively with their immigrant communities, in 200 cities and at 2,000 sites take to the streets to protect public education and fight forward for a more fair and just immigration system.

Click here to read the letter.