In her first city corridor assembly since President Trump assumed workplace on Jan 20, Caribbean-American Democratic U.S. Rep. Yvette D. Clarke Monday evening strongly condemned the president for unleashing what she described as unprecedented “terror, confusion and chaos throughout this nation.”
Within the well-attended, two-hour-plus city corridor assembly at George W. Wingate Excessive College Auditorium on Kingston Avenue in Brooklyn, Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants who represents the ninth Congressional District in Brooklyn, mentioned that, in simply 160 days in workplace, Trump’s assault has been “at a degree not like any earlier than in our nation’s historical past.”
The chair of the Congressional Black Caucus mentioned that Trump has executed so by implementing the Conservative Undertaking 2025 manifesto.
She mentioned the administration had alienated the “performance of Congress by implementing unconstitutional government orders; hiring billionaires and loyalists to function Secretaries over the nation’s prime federal businesses, most of whom don’t have any prior governmental expertise, “whereas giving them authorities contracts underneath the desk”; and unlawfully eliminating and dismantling federal businesses, and implementing mass firings of the federal workforce with out an goal justification for his or her actions.
Clarke, the Rating Member of the US Home of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on the Home Power and Commerce Committee, additionally mentioned Trump has instituted “an unconstitutional mass deportation scheme” by “unleashing a nationwide dragnet in opposition to immigrants, with no due course of, revoking momentary protections from migrants from primarily Black and Brown international locations and implementing ‘racist journey bans’ – impacting Haiti and Cuba, a number of nations from the Continent of Africa, together with the Republic of Congo, and simply introduced Nigeria, Ghana, amongst a number of different international locations.”
Clarke was joined on the panel, within the first of what she mentioned can be a collection of city halls, by James Lopez, immigration legal professional on the immigrant advocacy group Make the Highway New York; Diego Fernandez-Pages, office justice legal professional at Make the Highway; and Maya Wiley, president and CEO on the Management Convention on Civil and Human Rights.
The congresswoman mentioned that the “One Large Ugly Invoice”— which has handed the Republican-controlled Home of Representatives by one vote and is now within the Republican-controlled US Senate — would decimate applications akin to Medicaid and SNAP and finish the availability of crucial assist assist domestically and internationally if handed.
She mentioned, “All of which is to keep up trillions in tax cuts to billionaires in perpetuity and to widen the financial wealth hole for this and future generations to return.”
Beneath Trump, the U.S. Rep. – whose city corridor served as a chance to debate the incumbent administration’s insurance policies as they relate to healthcare, housing, immigration, the firing of a lot of the federal workforce, and the dismantling of federal businesses – mentioned the US is “experiencing the illegal implementation of tariffs imposed on our international allies and neighbors, destroying the economic system, crashing the inventory market, and escalating prices on on a regular basis necessities for American households, devastating the working and center class, and making it onerous for small companies to remain afloat.”
Clarke mentioned the Trump administration has additionally eradicated Variety, Fairness, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives inside federal businesses and the Armed Forces and “threatens faculties’ techniques, schools, universities, and companies for something they understand as DEI.
“The assault on DEI is an assault on progress and American values in motion,” she mentioned. “And the record goes on.”
Clarke mentioned these insurance policies and “tax scams had been by no means meant to assist the American individuals however had been applied to line the pockets of the wealthy with tax breaks and to take from the much less lucky – all underneath the guise of waste, fraud, and abuse.
“And so they don’t need you or anybody else to know what they’re doing as a result of Home Republicans pushed the passage of Trump’s ‘Large Ugly’ invoice at midnight to discourage you from watching their each transfer,“ she added.
The U.S. Rep. warned that “the so-called ‘one Large Lovely Invoice‘ will strip away life-saving healthcare for 17.3 million People –almost 7 million, or 1 in 3, New Yorkers who depend on this program.“
In her Brooklyn district, Clarke mentioned this quantities to over 65,000 individuals over 65, over 24,000 disabled youngsters and adults, over 146,000 younger adults, over 85,000 mother and father and caretakers, over 149,000 youngsters, and over 11,000 pregnant girls.
“However when you had been sleeping, my Democratic colleagues and I had been up and awake – combating and calling this regime out for what it really is, racist and authoritarian,“ she mentioned. “And that’s why tonight I’m right here to let you know straight how I’m combating again and main the resistance.
“I’ve held a number of press conferences to coach and inform you of the approaching hazard posed by the Trump administration; I’ve led quite a few letters to the administration demanding the redesignation and extension of Non permanent Protected Standing (TPS) for Haiti and different international locations,“ she added.
“I am within the battle for the essential well being care rights for you, which incorporates advocating for extra funding on each the federal and state ranges for SUNY Downstate (Hospital in Brooklyn) in order that our hospitals and the well being of the group aren’t additional put in jeopardy; and guaranteeing the range of our district is totally represented in Congress by advocating for peace, stabilization and humanitarian assist to deal with the conflicts that lots of our mates and households are going through again residence of their houses of origin,“ the U.S. Rep. continued.
She mentioned Home Democrats are working diligently “to carry the Trump administration accountable by educating, litigating, legislating and speaking the disastrous insurance policies and government orders his administration has already enacted, in addition to all these mendacity in wait.”
Clarke mentioned Home Democrats are educating the general public on the “unconstitutional actions this administration desires to impose, and submitting lawsuits in opposition to their unlawful actions and the infringement of your rights within the courts.“
Moreover, she mentioned Home Democrats are proposing legislative options “to impede and hinder most of the president’s tried abuses of energy.“
She mentioned she can be gearing as much as reintroduce the Reasonably priced Housing and Space Median Earnings Equity Act, or the “AMI“ invoice, which might be a multifaceted first step in tackling the housing disaster.
“And make no mistake, our district is within the crosshairs of this administration’s anarchy,“ Clarke instructed attendees. “I’m combating like hell for our group in Washington.
“New York has a goal on its again by this administration, which is implementing merciless and inhumane insurance policies on our neighbor,“ she mentioned, stating that the Trump administration is “crushing our small companies, the lifeblood of our economic system, and ending reasonably priced healthcare to our most weak populations.
“It’s essential that I preserve you knowledgeable – as a result of we’d like you,“ she added. “We’re on this battle collectively. We are able to’t do that alone. This battle belongs to all of us.”
Wiley mentioned that the Trump administration is “undermining public training,“ including that “the top recreation is to finish public training.
“The query is, are you being loud?“ she requested. I can’t let you know how vital it’s to get this within the press.
“On immigration, it’s blowing again,“ Wiley added. “Proper now, 54 % of a survey is disapproving the cruelty.”
Lopez urged nationals to proceed to voice their disapproval of Trump’s insurance policies.
“I need to see you on the court docket room,“ he mentioned. “The best way we defend our democracy begins with everyone on this room.”
Fernandez-Pages mentioned: “Our Structure applies irrespective of the place we’re.”
In answering questions on heightened raids by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) company and New York Metropolis’s standing as a “sanctuary metropolis“ for immigrants, Clarke mentioned she shares “the deep issues of my Brooklyn constituents — particularly our vibrant Caribbean group — concerning the presence of ICE in our neighborhoods, faculties, courts, and even Rikers Island (Correctional Facility).
“That is unacceptable and essentially contradicts the values we maintain as a sanctuary metropolis,“ she mentioned. “New York Metropolis has lengthy been a spot the place immigrants search security, alternative, and dignity. To permit ICE to function freely in areas meant to serve and defend our communities sends a chilling message.
“It undermines belief in our establishments, deters individuals from searching for justice or medical care, and tears households aside — typically for minor infractions or no wrongdoing in any respect,“ she added. “Our immigrant neighbors aren’t threats — they’re lecturers, entrepreneurs, well being aides, and important staff who pay taxes and enrich our metropolis each single day.
“If these actions are being allowed, then we should ask: are we really residing as much as the sanctuary metropolis promise?“ Clarke requested. “I urge the town management to reaffirm and implement protections that preserve ICE out of our public establishments.
“Brooklyn stands with immigrants,“ she continued. “As your U.S. Rep., I can’t keep silent whereas concern and intimidation exchange compassion and justice in our communities.”
