
Review of how we got to Trump’s fake wall emergency
By Courage to Resist
Trump’s initial plan to “get tough” on refugees and immigrants called for the US military to detain tens of thousands in sprawling tent city concentration camps at a dozen military bases. Those plans, announced last July, didn’t get too far, due in large part to the shocking similarities to World War II Japanese-American detention camps.
Then in October, the Trump administration pivoted to deploying 6,000 active duty troops to the southern border–widely seen as a way to influence the midterm elections. “Donald Trump’s decision to send thousands of troops to the US-Mexican border to intercept migrants who intend to apply for asylum is not just a bald-faced political stunt — it is also illegal,” noted law professor Marjorie Cohn at the time.
While Courage to Resist called on troops to question those illegal orders, the Trump administration issued a “cabinet order” on December 3rd in direct violation of the federal laws assumed to safeguard against martial law. While non-military migrant holding facilities filled up, with children separated from parents and disappeared, it looked like the troops on the border would remain camped out primarily for propaganda purposes.
The troops on the border were camped for propaganda purposes. Now, they serve as the legal justification for Trump’s fake “national emergency”. Resist the new normal.
Please take a look below at how we got here, and please consider supporting the ongoing work of Courage to Resist.
[POSTPONED] Join the Pilgrimage to Close the Camps, June 5-7, Washington DC
Courage to Resist is a proud endorser of the National Pilgrimage to Close the Camps, lead by Tsuru for Solidarity, a nonviolent, direct-action project.
End the war on immigrants and citizens of color
Trump Admin has unleashed ICE in unprecedented ways. Military forced to support concentration camps, as well as border deployments.
Deployed to the border: A test of conscience for GI’s
Critical legal info for US service members concerned about legality of orders to deploy to the US-Mexico border.
January 2019 Newsletter
PDF updates: Illegal orders at the border, Resistance through dance, Deployed to the border: A test of conscience, The Objector Church.
Troops ordered to engage in illegal law enforcement near US-Mexico border
“Cabinet order” stands in direct violation of federal law assumed to safeguard against martial law.
Why the deployment of active-duty troops to the border is illegal
Decision to send thousands of troops to the US-Mexican border is not just a bald-faced political stunt — it is also illegal.
Open letter to active duty soldiers on the border
Letter and PDF leaflet for distribution to the troops deployed in support of Trump’s war on migrant refugees.
Trump calls on military to deploy to the southern border
DoD approves military-hosted immigrant concentration camps as non-mil sites fill up. We need to take the administration at its word.
Nov. 5 event: Trump orders military to southern border and military law presentation
“Military ordered to host immigrant camps” discussion; Military law presentation by James Branum, Oakland CA.